TRAI, chaired by its Chairperson, met with the regulatory heads of major Telecom Service Providers, issuing strict directives to address spam calls and messages.
Telecom operators must disconnect and blacklist for two years any entity misusing bulk connections for spam, aiming to curb the nuisance of robocalls and pre-recorded voice calls.
Key Directives Issued by TRAI
Disconnection and Blacklisting: Telecom operators must disconnect all telecom resources of any entity misusing bulk connections for spam calls and blacklist them for two years. No TSP can provide new telecom resources to these entities during the blacklist period.
Information Sharing: Operators that disconnect a spam entity must inform other TSPs, who are also required to disconnect and blacklist the entity.
Blocking Malicious Links: Telcos are prohibited from delivering messages containing unwhitelisted URLs or APKs to prevent online scams.
Technical Implementation: Telecom firms must ensure traceability of message flow by completing the technical implementation of entity and telemarketer chain binding.
TRAI emphasized the urgent need to act against spammers using PRI and SIP connections for robocalls, with telecom firms agreeing to implement measures to prevent blacklisted entities from obtaining new resources.
Migration to Blockchain Mechanism
TRAI highlighted the ongoing issue of spam from unregistered entities using PRI services for bulk calls.
To combat this, TRAI has mandated that all telemarketers and enterprises migrate to a blockchain-based Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platform.
- Only registered principal entities will be allowed to send promotional messages.
- Businesses must register their sender codes and message templates on the blockchain to comply with this new regulation.
Spam Calls and PRI Misuse
Telecom consumers are inundated with spam calls from unregistered entities or telemarketers. Experts note that unscrupulous agents exploit primary rate interface (PRI) services to obtain up to 32 connections at once.
Using 10 or more PRI services can provide up to 320 numbers, which are often managed by robotic dialers that persistently call even after individual numbers are blocked. Authorities are working to identify and address the misuse of PRI services for spamming, the report added.
Timeline for Implementation
- September 1, 2024: Implementation of the ban on delivering messages with unwhitelisted URLs/APKs.
- October 31, 2024: Completion of technical implementation for message traceability through entity and telemarketer chain binding.
With these measures, TRAI aims to significantly reduce the nuisance of spam calls and protect telecom consumers from unsolicited communications.