Citizens of India cannot receive crucial one-time-passwords (OTPs) from the telecom operators because of the implementation of the new SMS template. The operators have said that it is the fault of the businesses unable to follow and implement the new SMS template in their system. Even after multiple delays, big institutions of India haven’t taken the interest to comply with the regulatory standards because of which their SMSes aren’t being delivered to the customers — more details on the story ahead.
New SMS Template Implemented on March 8, 2021
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has directed the telcos to implement the new SMS template, and it is live since midnight of March 8, 2021 (Monday).
Since the industry was not ready before, the implementation of the new SMS template has been pushed ahead by the telcos multiple times. But not anymore; the companies which weren’t too strict on implementing the new SMS template are now paying for it since none of their important messages or OTPs is being delivered to their customers.
According to an ET Telecom report, the Delhi High Court has ordered the implementation of the new template, and thus it can’t be delayed anymore. The telcos have done their part, and despite getting a lot of time, the companies have been relaxed about implementing the regulations in their system.
For controlling and bringing down SMS frauds, the telecom operators have been asked to check the header and the footer of every commercial SMS that originates from a registered source. The operators will be using blockchain technology to verify this, and any unregistered SMS template will be blocked.
This is what is happening with the businesses. Banks such as HDFC and the SBI are furious about the SMS blocks and are dialling Trai to resolve the matter at the earliest. But the banks, along with every other business, will now have to implement the new SMS template in their system. This is the only solution for them at the moment.
