TRAI Seeks Pesky Calls, Messages Report From Telcos

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has asked the telecom companies to submit a status report over complaints regarding pesky calls. Kicking off from September, this will set a motion to monitor unwanted telemarketing calls and messages.

TRAI intimated that all service providers should submit compliance reports, with effect from month ending September 2019, every month, and within ten days from the end of each calendar month.

TRAI has also come up the new format in which the report needs to be filled by the companies. and this includes complaints received from customers, complaints pending resolution, complaints rejected on account of insufficient details, complaints found valid after investigation, among others.

"Every Access Provider shall submit to the Authority its compliance reports in respect of unsolicited commercial communications, complaints or reports from its customers in such manner and format, at such periodic intervals and within such time limits as may be specified by the Authority, from time to time," TRAI said in its latest directive.

TRAI Norms On Unwanted Calls

Last year, the regulator moved new rules to tighten pesky telemarketing calls and messages. TRAI asked the telecom firms to use the blockchain technology to reduce such calls.

TRAI also informed that earlier regulation on this subject was notified in 2010. Since then action has been continually taken against entities violating the rules and it has led to the disconnection of as many as 1.4 million telephone numbers, besides other penalties.

The regulator pointed out that both imposters and fraudsters have taken advantage of loopholes in the verification of identities by putting distance between themselves and the Telecom Service Providers through multiple intermediaries controlled by weak and unverifiable agreements.

Further, with the adoption of newer technologies, such as automated calling, the spammers have acquired the ability to reach ever-larger target groups.

TRAI has also set stiff penalties of between Rs 1,000 and Rs 50 lakh per violation in a month on telcos that don't comply with guidelines.