TRAI Orders Telcos to Disconnect and Blacklist Unregistered Telemarketers to Combat Spam Calls

In a major initiative to address the growing issue of spam calls, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a new directive instructing telecom operators to disconnect all telecom resources utilized by unregistered telemarketers involved in sending spam calls. Additionally, these telemarketers will be blacklisted for up to two years.

TRAI Takes Strong Action Against Spam Calls

TRAI’s Directive Aims to Curb Spam Calls

On Tuesday, TRAI directed all telecom service providers to take immediate action against unregistered telemarketers. According to the new regulations, any telecom resources used by these entities for spam calls must be disconnected. TRAI emphasized that this "decisive action" is expected to have a significant impact on reducing spam calls and providing much-needed relief to consumers.

Details of the TRAI Directive

• Immediate Disconnection and Blacklisting: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has mandated that all promotional voice calls from unregistered telemarketers—whether pre-recorded, computer-generated, or otherwise—must be halted immediately. If any unregistered telemarketer is found using telecom resources for making commercial voice calls in violation of the regulations, their resources will be disconnected by the primary telecom service provider for a period of up to two years. Furthermore, these entities will be blacklisted for the same duration.

• Sharing Blacklist Information: Information regarding the blacklisting of these telemarketers must be shared by the Originating Access Provider (OAP) with all other access providers on the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platform within 24 hours. Other providers will then disconnect all telecom resources allocated to the blacklisted entity within the following 24 hours.

• Migration to DLT Platform: TRAI has also directed that all unregistered telemarketers using telecom resources for commercial voice calls must be migrated to the DLT platform within one month of the directive's issuance. They are required to submit a compliance report within seven days of migration.

Monitoring and Compliance

To ensure compliance, TRAI has instructed telecom operators to submit regular updates on the actions taken against unregistered telemarketers on the 1st and 16th of every month. This move underscores TRAI’s commitment to tackling the spam call issue effectively.

Recent Developments and Meetings

This directive follows a previous warning by TRAI that any misuse of bulk connections for spam calls would result in disconnection and blacklisting. Last week, TRAI held a crucial meeting with the Chief Regulatory Officers of major telecom service providers including Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio, Tata Teleservices, Vodafone Idea, and Quadrant Televentures. The meeting, chaired by TRAI's Chief, focused on the implementation of these new regulations and the ongoing battle against spam calls.

Conclusion

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has taken a decisive step to combat the rampant issue of spam calls by mandating that telecom operators disconnect and blacklist unregistered telemarketers. This new directive aims to address the persistent nuisance of unsolicited calls, enhancing consumer protection and ensuring a more secure communication environment. By enforcing immediate disconnection and a stringent blacklisting process, TRAI is setting a precedent for tackling telecom misuse and improving overall service quality.

Regular updates and compliance checks will be crucial in monitoring the effectiveness of these measures and ensuring that unregistered entities are held accountable. As the regulatory landscape evolves, these actions reflect TRAI's commitment to addressing consumer concerns and maintaining the integrity of telecom operations in India.