TRAI Reviews Spam Framework as Daily Suspected Calls Hit 400 Million
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is actively examining the current enforcement framework for telemarketers and is prepared to implement stricter regulations if existing measures prove inadequate. This review comes at a critical juncture, with telecom operators now blocking or flagging approximately 400 million suspected spam calls and text messages every single day.
Regulatory Scrutiny and Potential Rule Tightening
In a recent interview, TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti confirmed the regulator is conducting a thorough assessment of the existing framework that governs telemarketers. The primary objective is to pinpoint specific areas where responsibilities are not being adequately fulfilled. Lahoti emphasized that TRAI maintains a willingness to strengthen the current Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR) should the review reveal persistent gaps in compliance.
"We are engaged with telecom operators and telemarketers to identify any gaps and issues. We will take appropriate action accordingly," Lahoti stated, clarifying that while telemarketers are already regulated through the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platform, the focus is on enhancing accountability where needed.
The Scale of the Spam Challenge
The sheer volume of unwanted communications highlights the magnitude of the problem. Current data reveals that about 75 million commercial calls or SMS are blocked daily after being scrubbed against customer preference registers. Furthermore, telecom service providers are flagging an additional 320 million suspected spam communications originating from standard 10-digit phone numbers each day, based on December figures.
A significant challenge remains consumer awareness and participation. Out of India's 1.16 billion mobile subscribers, only 220 million have registered their preferences on the Do Not Disturb (DND) platform. This means roughly 80% of users remain vulnerable to unsolicited telemarketing, prompting TRAI to intensify its consumer education efforts.
Digital Consent Framework Moves Toward Full Implementation
Parallel to the compliance review, TRAI is advancing toward a comprehensive rollout of the Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) framework. This system is designed to digitize and make visible all consumer consents for promotional calls and messages, granting users clear control to revoke permissions at any time.
A successful pilot program involving telecom operators and 11 major banks demonstrated the technical viability of the DCA framework. "The results showed that the system worked fine technically," Lahoti noted. The regulator is now preparing for a complete rollout, beginning with the banking sector and involving the Indian Banks' Association (IBA).
Managing Legacy Consents and Enhancing Security
To facilitate a smooth transition, TRAI has devised a strategy for handling the vast number of legacy consents already held by entities like banks. These existing consents will be uploaded to the digital platform based on the entities' own certification, avoiding the need to start from scratch and preventing a massive spam event that would result from notifying crores of consumers individually.
Once uploaded to the DLT platform, users will gain the ability to check and revoke these legacy consents. In tandem, TRAI has implemented enhanced security protocols following discussions with banks to combat fraud. Banks are now required to whitelist thousands of URLs, and any SMS containing a non-whitelisted link is automatically blocked.
New Numbering Series for Clarity
A key development to help users distinguish between genuine and promotional communications is the introduction of a new numbering series. Henceforth, all essential service and transactional calls—such as OTPs, balance alerts, and critical notifications from banks, insurance companies, and mutual funds—will originate from numbers in the 160 series. These numbers cannot be blocked via DND. Meanwhile, all telemarketing calls will continue to use the 140 series.
Spectrum Auction Recommendations Progressing
Beyond spam regulation, Chairman Lahoti provided an update on the upcoming spectrum auction, confirming that TRAI's recommendations have entered the final stages of preparation. "We expect to complete the same in a month," he said, noting the consultation phase is concluded. The last auction in 2024 saw telecom operators acquire spectrum worth ₹11,340 crore.
As India's digital landscape expands, TRAI's dual focus on curbing spam through stricter oversight and a robust digital consent framework, alongside its preparations for future spectrum allocation, underscores its proactive approach to managing the nation's telecommunications ecosystem.
