The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced stricter rules to tackle spam calls and messages, imposing fines ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh for repeated violations by telecom operators. These fines will apply if telecom operators misreport the count of such unsolicited communications.
The new regulations, part of the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, require telecom operators to monitor call and SMS patterns, flagging potential spammers in real time. Key parameters for identifying spammers include unusually high call volumes, short call durations, and low incoming-to-outgoing call ratios.
The updated rules introduce a graded penalty system for telecom operators who fail to implement the new guidelines effectively. For the first violation, a fine of Rs 2 lakh will be imposed, followed by Rs 5 lakh for the second instance, and Rs 10 lakh for each subsequent violation related to misreporting of spam call and message counts.
TRAI’s move aims to ensure that telecom operators take effective action to curb the growing issue of spam and improve the quality of service for consumers.
