The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has successfully rolled out a traceability framework for commercial SMS, marking a significant leap towards creating a secure and spam-free messaging environment. This initiative underscores TRAI’s dedication to safeguarding consumers from spam and bolstering transparency in commercial communication systems.
Under the framework, all Principal Entities (PEs), including businesses, banks, and government agencies, along with their Telemarketers (TMs), are required to register their message transmission paths using blockchain-based Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). This ensures the end-to-end traceability of messages, from origin to delivery, while preserving data security and avoiding delivery delays.
Phased Implementation
TRAI’s directive, issued on August 20, 2024, mandated the traceability of commercial SMS from November 1, 2024. However, recognizing the scale of onboarding approximately 1.13 lakh active PEs across sectors such as banking, insurance, and healthcare, TRAI extended the compliance deadlines to November 30, 2024, and later to December 10, 2024.
In collaboration with key regulators like RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, and government agencies such as NIC and CDAC, TRAI conducted awareness campaigns to facilitate smooth integration. Access Providers also played a pivotal role, offering technical guidance to support PEs and TMs in adapting to the DLT framework, TRAI secretary Anil Kumar Chaudhary said.
Consumer-Centric Approach
During the initial enforcement period, TRAI adopted an innovative strategy to minimize disruptions. While chain binding regulations were enforced, messages sent through undeclared paths were flagged with error codes rather than blocked outright. This allowed PEs to rectify issues without interrupting critical communications, such as OTPs and other time-sensitive messages.
Successful Implementation
As of December 11, 2024, all major PEs have registered their message transmission chains, and SMS traffic from unregistered paths is now being rejected. This milestone reflects TRAI’s commitment to combating spam and enhancing consumer trust in telecom services.
Complementary Anti-Spam Measures
The traceability framework complements TRAI’s broader anti-spam initiatives, including the disconnection of telecom resources used by spammers, URL whitelisting in SMS, and the migration of telemarketers to DLT platforms.
Indian telecom operators such as BSNL, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea are under pressure to stop sending unwanted commercial SMS from their mobile networks to their phone customers.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
