The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has tightened regulations to combat the issue of unsolicited commercial communication. The authority has announced hefty fines of up to Rs 10 lakh for those engaging in marketing calls. A new Do-Not-Disturb (DND) app has also been introduced, allowing mobile users to customize their preferences for marketing calls. With the latest guidelines under the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), fines ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh will now be imposed on unsolicited commercial communications (UCC). Repeat offenders could face fines escalating to Rs 10 lakh.
For financial-related commercial communication, initial violations will incur a fine of Rs 2 lakh; the second violation will lead to a Rs 5 lakh penalty, and repeated violations will attract the maximum fine of Rs 10 lakh. In addition, the updated DND app now provides features to block promotional messages, file complaints, and track the status of those complaints.
What are the new rules?
TRAI has detailed the new guidelines through its official social media channels. These rules apply exclusively to calls or messages sent to mobile numbers and do not cover OTT apps like WhatsApp. The regulator has also mandated telecom companies—Airtel, Jio, Vi, and BSNL—to monitor key parameters of calls and SMS in real time. This includes tracking high call volumes, SMS patterns, short call durations, and frequent SIM card changes.
Identification of commercial messages
Under the new guidelines, mobile users will have a straightforward way to identify commercial messages. Registered telemarketers' message headers will now end with '-P', '-S', '-T', or '-G', indicating promotional, service, transactional, and government messages, respectively. Any messages lacking these specific headers will be deemed fraudulent.
Extended complaint window
The time allowed for customers to report unsolicited commercial communication has been extended from 3 days to 7 days. Additionally, the time frame for telecom companies to address any complaints has been significantly reduced from 30 days to just 5 days. This change will greatly benefit millions of mobile users by ensuring quicker action on their complaints. As a result of these new regulations, unregistered telemarketers will no longer be able to reach out to consumers.
New number series
Those who violate TRAI's new guidelines for the first time will face a 15-day call blocking period. Repeat offenders may be permanently blacklisted from making calls. The rules now include action against telemarketing calls or messages sent from regular 10-digit mobile numbers, which constitutes a breach of the regulations. TRAI has also introduced a new number series for promotional calls, starting with 1600, replacing the previous 140 series used for such communications.
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