After the successful implementation of new Do Not Disturb (DND) rules to curb pesky calls, SMS from telemarketers, Now, Indian Telecom regulator TRAI is strictly monitoring and enforcing the regulations for protection of customers from Unsolicited Commercial calls and SMSs.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said that the regulations prescribe several steps for protection of customers from unsolicited Commercial calls and SMSs.
In this regard leading Mobile service operator Vodafone Essar penalized the first batch of telemarketers by deducting penalty amount from their security deposits on 12.10.2011. Vodafone has deposited Rs.50000 with TRAI in compliance to the regulations, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said in a statement.
Vodafone penalized its telemarketers for sending commercial communications/ Unwanted SMS to DND /NCPR users under TRAI Regulations which came into effect from September 27,2011.
In TRAI’s regulation, there is a provision of security deposit by telemarketers to their Access Service Providers and deduction/fine ranging from Rs.25000 to Rs.2.5 lakhs in case of violation. In case telemarketer is not complying with the regulation even after deduction from security deposit, there is a provision for blacklisting of telemarketers.
rahul sharma October 19, 2011 at 12:25 am
What the hell is this…. Sms is our only entertainment… 100 sms is not at all enough per day… Please TRAI Change ur decision…. Plzzzzzzz take a +ive decision….. plzzzzzzz dont blame us…… Come on guys. Join your hands to change this 100 SMS per day cap …… Plzzzzzzzz TRAI understand our feelings…
MEHBOOB HOSSAIN October 18, 2011 at 7:17 am
I want more than 100 sms per day. Capping 100 sms per day very bad move. When sms are capped then why Blaclout days of sms are still there???? Is TRAI is sleeping????
Prithvi October 17, 2011 at 9:11 pm
Am glad to be of help. As I mentioned before, I have only contacted Vodafone for getting rid of the unsolicited sms/callers and they have been useful. Am certain the above will work. Good luck
Suman Dutta October 17, 2011 at 4:38 pm
Thank you so much for your precious suggestions. And OK! From next time I shall try the mail-way to see how it works for me.
And by the way, it has been a month or so that ad sms has stopped coming. But I doubt if it is due to efforts from Vodafone or the latest strict amendment of trai. Hope this period of relief continues forever.
Anyway, about Vodafone… FINGERS CROSSED
Prithvi October 17, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Noted. Just try emailing your own vodafone service provider in the format. I have never tried calling/sms’ng 1909 nor did did I contact TRAI but emailing vodafone always worked. Yes .. there were times when the sender kept changing the alphabets in the name and resent unsolicited sms’ as new sender OR at times didn’t back down despite three or four repeat cases but eventually vodafone acted on my behalf and stopped them. One of the senders did not stop despite 7-8 penalties over a period of 4 months but gave up. Now I am 99% free from this menace.
Suman Dutta October 17, 2011 at 12:48 pm
With due respect to your suggestions, I am very sorry to say that I have already done all these. Only then my complaint was taken. I was frustrated totally after being unable to register my complaint at 1909 even after calling them for 10 times, as all they had to say was”SORRY SIR WE CAN’T TAKE YOUR COMPLAINT RIGHT NOW AS SERVER UPGRADATION IS GOING ON, REQUEST YOU TO CALL AFTER 6 HOURS”. I did call after every 6 hours but the server upgradation was an endless process & is always continuing. lol
Then I posted it at grahakseva.com & mailed it to them with all details. Yes, you are right. They did take my complaint & called me to informed me of the same. But just 5-6 days after taking each complaint, ad sms again came to my number. Thus there are 3 complaints under process(that’s what they say when i ask for the result even after 3 months) & none of the complaint no they provided me show a registration status at the UCC COMPLAINT STATUS page in nccptrai.gov.in.
I have been mailing since 3 months now to them asking about why the complaints don’t show as registered in trai website & what are the results of complaints & they have been replying “DEAR SUBSCRIBER, WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY FOOLOWING THE MATTER IN CONCERN & WILL REVERT TO YOU AT THE EARLIEST. YOUR PATIENCE IN THE INTERIM WILL BE APPRECIATED”.
Remember, they are bound to give me the feedback with exact details within 28 days(it is 7 days now after the last amendment of 27th Sept) & till now they have not given any proper result.
Prithvi October 17, 2011 at 11:42 am
@Suman Dutta
I differ with your opinion as I am experiencing quite the opposite. Try this – email your Vodafone service provider in this format .. am just giving an example .. be VERY precise when you provide sender details incl. small/big caps:
LM:AQUAAA Date Sent: 08-Apr-2011 Time:17:36:30
[max. ten words to describe the sms/caller].
This will help Vodafone take action. Make things easy and they’ll respond very well. I am extremely pleased with Vodafone Mumbai as I provide details in short in above format. They’ll send you a docket no. in few days too for your complaint. Try this!!
Suman Dutta October 17, 2011 at 10:20 am
@dhruv
You are 100% right. Vodafone DOES sell numbers to advertisers. I activated full dnd 6 months ago, but spam ad sms came to my number every 2 weeks, complained at 1909 & nodal desk, 3 complaints have been taken on this same issue, it has been 1 month since they took the complaint but no fedback, even none of the complaints show up when checking with the UCC COMPLAINT REGISTRATION page of nccptrai.gov.in.
Moreover you know what, their nodal officer took the 1st complaint on a day & assured me that no ad sms will come from next day & the advertiser will be punished within a maximum of 21 days. Then just after 7 days again ad sms comes & again they took 2nd complaint & gave the same assurance. After 7 more days again the same thing happens & they took 3rd complaint. More than 3 months have passed since they took complaints & i haven’t got a single feedback.
Vodafone is a bullshit. You know very well how their partner Essar’s name has been come up during 2g scam. And recently it has been discovered by indian media that Vodafone broke many laws during the merger with Essar when Hutch left the joint venture.
All readers of this post, if you want a genuine advice from me, STAY AWAY FROM VODAFONE.
Sushil Modi October 17, 2011 at 4:04 am
Vodafone did great job all credits to TRAI for regulation with good mechanism… Any news from other operator like airtel,Tatadocomo,idea,reliance,aircel ?
rahul raj October 17, 2011 at 12:32 am
@Dhananjay–break your sim card and buy new one lolz….
Dhananjay October 16, 2011 at 9:51 pm
hey i’m using AIRTEl i activated DND but still they(airtel) are sending me unwanted sms .. what to do ?
dhruv October 16, 2011 at 8:26 pm
i am talking about mumbai and not your gujarat. i hope you are educated to know that they are two different places! And where did the q of network come? Did i talk about it? Why are you unnecessarily diverting the issue?
dhruv October 16, 2011 at 8:22 pm
I registered for dnd the second day i got the connection. The question is not about dnd. The q is how my no. reach tele marketing people in 3 days, whe n no one else knew the no. Mind you i started receiving 7-8 spam messages per day.
Sahil Shah October 16, 2011 at 6:40 pm
You need to register in DND to stop receiving spam sms. As your card is 3 days old DND might not have been activated or you wont have sent any request to activate dnd so stop blaming vodafone. I have never received any spam messages on vodafone till now from the date of activation of DND on my no. This step doesnt matter to me as I never received any spam. Vodafone is superb in gujarat.
amar October 16, 2011 at 3:37 pm
@Lalit Ganatra
I think you can send more than 100 sms/day.but sms pack offer 100 sms/day and after that if have to pay regular sms rates if you want to send more sms.
As in festive day , you can send more than 100 sms a day.
D October 16, 2011 at 2:50 pm
@SJ
@ SJ
You need to understrand OFFER SMS does not classify as SPAM. It is an INFO SMS that tell you (Vodafone customer) about newer (better) offers.
>> Vodafone itself should be penalised for spamming phones with unwanted offers
vaby October 16, 2011 at 2:37 pm
This pressure from TRAI will definitely remove users frustration from telecom service messages…keep it up….
Lalit Ganatra October 16, 2011 at 1:47 pm
@amar
Not agree, Ban of more than 100 sms is totally wrong, if you have balance in your account & you cannot send sms is against the RIGHTS.
TRAI can put ban on SMS PAck scheme of not more than 100 sms.
This is illegal decision of TRAI. No one can stop you to spend your balance in SMS
Customer should allowed to send sms after 100 sms pack & next sms at regular price (No scheme)
amar October 16, 2011 at 12:49 pm
100 SMS cap is very good.
MANY friend sending ”good morning”, ”good night” message stopped after this great move.
Great move.
Now impose penlty to service provider if they activate VAS without customers permission and return of balance immediately if subscriber complant against this.
Prithvi October 16, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Vodafone has been exemplary in cutting off the unsolicited sms/callers effectively even BEFORE 27.SEPT.11 and I, being a Vodafone subscriber, am impressed and very satisfied with this co. when it comes to getting rid of this menace. Thank you Vodafone!
amar October 16, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Apne service provider se iska complain karo
Anup October 16, 2011 at 12:22 pm
This is the right step to punish telemarketers. But 100 sms per day is totally curse for up. Trai should undo that decision
Sudhakar October 16, 2011 at 12:21 pm
To all :
Stop using hindi words here. Ok?.
Sudhakar October 16, 2011 at 12:20 pm
To TRAI :
Very good action. Keep it up. But do not punish SMS users by restricting to only 100 per day.
dhruv October 16, 2011 at 12:12 pm
vodafone fraud itself sells its numbers to other tele-marketers. i had recently bought a new vodafone connection directly from vodafone company store (not retailers or franchise) for using it in data card for gprs internet. within 3 days itself i started receiving spam messages. this number was not known to anybody in the world except vodafone and me. hence it was clear that vodafone sells customers numbers to outsiders to make money. and this fraud has the nerves to say that they are stopping spams! lies and fraud at its best!
sAm October 16, 2011 at 11:59 am
@SJ
+1
kashif October 16, 2011 at 11:56 am
Dear TRAI india team
Good Job, please keep continue…
sandeep October 16, 2011 at 11:56 am
sir,
maine dnd main register karwya hai fir bhi mere pass 3 telemarketing sms aaye hai
to ab main kya karu
please suggest main kya karu
Raaj October 16, 2011 at 11:51 am
Cool!now this will teach some leasons to the telemarketers.Good move Vodafone!keep it going!
SJ October 16, 2011 at 11:47 am
Vodafone itself should be penalised for spamming phones with unwanted offers