The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is proposing to postpone the deadline for banning unsolicited calls and text messages from 1 January, 2011 to 1 February 2011.
This delay is owing to telecom operators claiming they require three to four months more to settle contractual obligations with various telemarketing companies. Also, it is believed that operators are unwilling to forfeit the amount of around Rs 3.50 billion per annum generated by telemarketing calls and bulk text messages.
In early December 2010, TRAI had released regulations aimed at curbing unsolicited telemarketing calls and text messages. Telemarketing companies violating these guidelines are to be charged a fine of up to Rs 0.25 million.
Besides, the regulations mandated that no commercial communication shall be sent to users between 9 pm and 9 am. To help unregistered subscribers identify such calls, telemarketers would be issued a different set of numbers starting with 70.
Also, the user could choose to be listed in either the fully blocked category, which is similar to the Do Not Call Registry service or the partially blocked category, wherein he would receive text messages pertaining to pre-selected subjects. These included: banking and financial products, real estate, education, health, consumer goods, automobiles, communication and entertainment, tourism and leisure.
The telemarketing company would be given six opportunities to comply with the guidelines. Failing which, they would be fined Rs 25,000 for the first offence, up to Rs 75,000 in case of a second violation, Rs 80,000 for the third, Rs 0.125 million for the fourth, Rs 0.15 million for the fifth and Rs 0.25 million for the sixth offence, following which the number will be blocked by all operators.
