Telecom operators have raised concerns about significant disruptions in the delivery of transactional and service messages following a new directive from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
This mandate, effective November 1, 2024, requires all telecom companies to ensure traceability of messages sent by principal entities (PEs) such as banks and e-commerce firms. Messages lacking a defined chain of telemarketers must be blocked, which could lead to critical messages, including one-time passwords (OTPs), not being delivered.
Telecom operators plan to provide daily reports to telemarketers and PEs, enabling them to make necessary adjustments. They intend to fully implement the blocking mode by December 1, 2024. This request for an extension marks the second time the telecom sector has sought more time to comply with TRAI’s regulations regarding commercial messaging.
Currently, India sees approximately 1.5 to 1.7 billion commercial messages sent daily. The potential disruption from blocking or failing to deliver these messages is substantial. While telecom companies report that their systems are ready for the new regulations, they indicate that telemarketers and PEs require additional time to complete necessary preparations. As a result, PEs are requesting a two-month extension to meet these requirements.
