According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), telemarketers need to pay Rs 500 to restore phones disconnected for targeting users with unsolicited communications.
In a notification, TRAI has stated that if a subscriber, whose telecom resources have been disconnected for contravention of the regulations, makes a request within 30 days, the authority may order restoration of resources on payment of Rs 500 per connection, but the total penalty amount should not exceed Rs 5,00,000. The resources, however, will be restored if the subscriber has taken reasonable steps to prevent recurrence of such contravention and satisfies the authority.
Earlier, in 2013, TRAI had approved disconnection of telemarketers? phones by service providers in case these players were found targeting customers with unsolicited communication through calls or SMSs. The regulatory authority?s move comes in the wake of various stakeholders approaching it and requesting for re-connection and in cases where TRAI was satisfied with the measures taken by them, it had ordered reconnection. However, the regulatory body has stated that there should be further deterrent against misuse of ?telecom resources? for soliciting business apart from meeting administration costs. Therefore, it has proposed to levy a reconnection charge of Rs 500 per telecom resource.
TRAI has stated that 12 stakeholders, including seven telecom operators and two insurance companies, submitted their comments and most of them were in favour of levying a charge for reconnection of resources.
