Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has sought suggestions from the cellular operators on how to curb pesky messages. The operators have been asked to submit their suggestions by October 25.
While addressing an open house discussion on unsolicited commercial communications (UCC) with mobile operators, telemarketers and consumer groups, TRAI Chairman Rahul Khullar said, “All of you have 15 days time (October 25)…You have to come back to me with any suggestions.”
Khullar further said the operators have to come up with a solution otherwise the regulator will take a decision on the issue. “I have a practical problem on my hand and I want practical solution,” he added.
Operators should also work on fixing the limit for promotional SMSes, said Khullar, adding they should work on a technical solution that can be put in place to curb such messages, and the cost involved in it.
The fresh directive from TRAI comes in the wake of the draft “Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference (Tenth Amendment) Regulations, 2012, in which the regulator proposes disconnection of resources of entities for whom the promotion is being conducted, after ten violations. The updated regulations are likely to be released by November 5.
The draft regulation also stresses the need for a mechanism to block such unsolicited SMSes with similar signatures from the source, which sends more than permitted number of promotional text messages per hour. The draft also calls upon operators to get an undertaking from transactional message sending companies, and ensure only registered telemarketers are allowed to do so.
The proposed regulation also envisages helping customers in registering complaints against pesky messages, by sending an SMS To 1909, and directing the operators to make subscribers aware through text messages about the guidelines on UCC twice a year.
Source: Business Standard
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