TRAI Initiates Big Crackdown on Pesky Spam Calls

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced stringent measures against entities misusing telecom resources for spam calls. Telcos will disconnect resources and blacklist offenders for up to two years. This decision follows a meeting with regulatory heads of major telecom service providers, emphasizing the need for urgent action against spam calls.

In a significant move against spam calls, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) announced on Thursday that telecom operators will disconnect the resources of entities found misusing bulk connections for spam calls. These entities face blacklisting by all operators for up to two years.

Sending a strong warning to violators, TRAI highlighted the urgency of tackling spammers using PRI/SIP connections for voice, robo, or pre-recorded calls promptly. This follows TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti's statement on reviewing regulations to curb spam calls.

During a meeting chaired by TRAI Chief, involving regulatory heads from major telecom companies such as Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea, a consensus was reached on blacklisting entities involved in spam calls for two years. The implementation of technical measures for traceability of messages is set for completion by October 31, 2024.