Less than 25 percent of mobile users in India have registered their preferences to control commercial communications, leaving the vast majority open to unsolicited calls and messages, a senior official from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) reportedly said. Out of nearly 1.15 billion mobile consumers, only 280 million have set their preferences, allowing telemarketers to freely target the remaining 870 million users.
Also Read: Spam, UCC Messages Find Their Way to Users Through RCS and OTT Apps?
TRAI's Opt-Out Rule
Under TRAI’s regulations, if a consumer does not explicitly opt out, it is assumed they consent to receive commercial communications. To address this, TRAI has updated its Do Not Disturb (DND) app, making it easier for users to report spam and specify their preferences. Consumers can block all commercial communications or selectively choose the types they wish to receive.
"It is a problem that while everyone complains about spam, only a minuscule percentage of people have shared their preferences regarding commercial communications, leaving the rest prone to spam," a TRAI official told ET.
"The rules state that unless a consumer opts out, it is taken as a yes for receiving commercial communications," the official added.
Also Read: Menace of Promotional Calls and SMS: Mobile Number Not Required to Avail Services from Retailers
Financial Penalties and Real-Time Monitoring
Despite these measures, spam remains a persistent problem. TRAI has imposed stricter rules that include financial penalties ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh on telecom operators for repeated violations or for misreporting spam data. Operators are also required to monitor call and SMS patterns, such as unusually high volumes and frequent SIM changes, to identify spammers in real time.
"While selecting a preference, a user can choose which kind of commercial communication he or she wants to receive, or there can be a blanket no to all such communications," the official cited above said, according to the report.
Telecom operators have raised concerns that key players, including over-the-top (OTT) services and telemarketers, are not covered under the current regulations, limiting the effectiveness of spam control efforts.
Also Read: TRAI Tightens Regulations to Combat Unsolicited Commercial Communication
Volume of Commercial Messages in India
India witnesses between 1.5 billion and 1.7 billion commercial messages daily, totaling approximately 55 billion per month. TRAI continues to tighten oversight to combat spam and phishing, aiming to protect consumers and enhance accountability in the telecom sector.
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