The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has launched a crackdown on spam calls after receiving over 7.9 lakh complaints against Unregistered Telemarketers (UTMs) in the first half of 2024. In response, TRAI issued strict directives on August 13, 2024, requiring all telecom providers to immediately stop promotional voice calls from unregistered telemarketers using SIP, PRI, or other telecom resources.
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Penalties for Unregistered Telemarketers
To enforce these new rules, TRAI has warned that UTMs found misusing telecom resources could face severe penalties, including disconnection of services for up to two years and blacklisting.
"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," TRAI said in a statement on Tuesday.
Telecom Providers Respond
Following these directives, telecom providers have already blacklisted over 50 entities and disconnected more than 2.75 lakh mobile numbers and other telecom resources.
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These measures are expected to reduce spam calls and improve the overall telecom experience for consumers. TRAI has urged all stakeholders to comply with the new rules to help create a cleaner, more efficient telecom ecosystem.
