TRAI implements message traceability norms to boost transparency, beat spammers
New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will implement its new message traceability norms starting Wednesday, media reports said.
This initiative aims to combat spam and fraudulent communication by making all commercial messages fully traceable, according to a Business Standard report.
The regulations will apply to major telecom operators, including Reliance Jio Bharti Airtel, BSNL, and Vodafone Idea.
Message traceability ensures that every commercial message sent can be traced back to its origin, identifying all parties involved, from telemarketers to service providers.
This system seeks to improve transparency by regulating promotional and transactional messages, protecting mobile users from spam and scams.
Effective today, any commercial message that does not comply with traceability requirements will be rejected.
This includes messages with undefined or incorrect sender-receiver chains.
Telecom operators have been instructed to issue daily warnings to defaulters and block non-compliant messages.
Initially, telecom providers raised concerns about the impact on one-time passwords (OTPs), critical for online transactions.
These concerns led to delays in implementation as providers updated their systems.
However, e-commerce companies have largely addressed this risk by using alternative platforms like WhatsApp and in-app notifications for critical messages, including OTPs.
TRAI has assured users that essential messages will not face delays under the new system.
TRAI had first issued directions in August 2024 mandating traceability for all commercial messages starting November 1, 2024.
Telecom providers requested extensions to December 1 and later December 10 to ensure a seamless transition.
To support the rollout, TRAI collaborated with stakeholders, including government departments, regulators like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and industry associations.
Webinars and direct engagements with Principal Entities (PEs) and telemarketers were held to explain the system.
The Ministry of Communications reported that over 27,000 organizations have registered their message chains, with more registrations ongoing.
With an estimated 1.5–1.7 billion commercial messages sent daily in India, these norms are a significant step in regulating promotional and transactional communication.
TRAI expects the measure to safeguard users from fraudulent practices while ensuring essential communications are delivered smoothly.
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