Initiatives like DND can protect people from fraudulent calls, messages: TRAI chief

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India TRAI has introduced several measures, including a digital consent acquisition framework and the Do Not Disturb DND mobile app, to protect subscribers from spam and fraudulent calls and messages, TRAI chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said on Thursday.Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of a workshop, Lahoti said India has about 116 crore mobile subscribers, of whom only 28 crore are registered in the DND registry.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced several measures, including a digital consent acquisition framework and the Do Not Disturb (DND) mobile app, to protect subscribers from spam and fraudulent calls and messages, TRAI chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said on Thursday.

Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of a workshop, Lahoti said India has about 116 crore mobile subscribers, of whom only 28 crore are registered in the DND registry. He stressed that merely blocking numbers on mobile devices will not stop spam calls, urging users to report them to service providers or through the TRAI DND app.

''When a user reports a spam call or SMS on the DND app, it enables TRAI and telecom service providers to trace, verify, and permanently disconnect the offending mobile numbers,'' Lahoti said.

In another move to enhance cybersecurity and curb online financial fraud, TRAI has directed banks, mutual fund firms, non-banking financial companies, and insurance firms to adopt a '1600' numbering series, he said. In a video message, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Union Minister of State for Communications, emphasised India's focus on reliable and high-quality connectivity for citizens, highlighting ongoing efforts to strengthen service quality under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.

Addressing the audience, Odisha chief secretary Manoj Ahuja underscored the vital role of telecom services in public safety and disaster-response systems.

Drawing from Odisha's experience with cyclones and tsunami alerts, he emphasised the central role of telecom services in enabling inclusive growth, economic development and efficient public-service delivery.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)