The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has observed a significant rise in spam calls, with over more than 0.79 million complaints reported against unregistered telemarketers (UTMs) in the first half of 2024 (January to June).
In response, TRAI had issued stringent directives to all access providers on 13th August 2024. TRAI had mandated access providers to immediately stop promotional voice calls from unregistered senders or telemarketers using session initiation protocol (SIP), primary rate interface (PRI), or other telecom resources. Any UTM found to be misusing these resources will face severe consequences, including disconnection of all telecom resources for up to two years and blacklisting.
Consequently, access providers have taken stern measures against misuse of telecom resources for spamming including blacklisting of over 50 entities and disconnecting more than 0.275 million SIP direct inward dialling (SIP DID)/mobile numbers/telecom resources. These steps are expected to have a significant impact on reducing spam calls and providing relief to consumers. TRAI urges all stakeholders to comply with the directives and contribute to a cleaner and more efficient telecom ecosystem.
