India telecom regulator TRAI today announced a new regulation to stop unwanted calls and messages to its one billion plus mobile phone customers.
The new telecom regulation follows the in-ability of the government in addressing the issues of unsolicited calls and SMS originating from tele-marketers on the phone customers.
The new telecom regulation demands telecom operators to make investment in machine learning technologies to reduce unwanted calls and SMS.
TRAI has already explored the use of machine learning technologies to classify messages in its DND 2.0 App. These regulations would enable development of newer tools based on Artificial Intelligence or other technologies for an easier subscriber experience in setting preferences, governing consent and reporting violations.
“We are reviewing the regulation to see if this is adequately addressed. The time-frames for implementing, especially given the requirement to implement Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), which has not been implemented by any other regulator, appears too stringent and difficult to achieve,” said Rajan S Mathews, director general of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).
Since 2010, TRAI took action against telemarketing companies which have violated the rules and telecom operators disconnected 1.4 million telephone numbers. TRAI had also imposed penalties on telemarketing agencies.
TRAI admitted that both imposters and fraudsters have taken advantage of loopholes in verification of identities by putting distance between themselves and the telecom service providers through multiple intermediaries controlled by unverifiable agreements.
Further, with the adoption of newer technologies, such as automated calling, the spammers have acquired the ability to reach ever larger target groups, TRAI said.
New regulation
The regulations provide for a registration of senders (businesses and telemarketers) through an easy registration processes. This diminishes the ability of unknown entities reaching their customers with calls and messages.
Using headers intelligently to segregate different types of messages, businesses will be able to help their clients manage, delete or store communications related to OTP’s, balance enquires, flight alerts, special offers, etc.
Telemarketers override the stated preference of the subscriber by claiming consent that may have been surreptitiously obtained. New regulations provide the subscriber with control over their consent and the ability to revoke the consent already granted, at their option.
The concept of registered templates for both SMS and voice communication will prevent deliberate mixing of promotional messages into the transactional stream. This will give relief to subscribers who feel targeted by unwanted communication today.
