New Delhi: In a move to combat the rising tide of spam calls and unsolicited messages, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a consultation paper seeking public input on revising the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (TCCCPR-2018).
The TCCCPR-2018, implemented in 2019, aims to safeguard consumers from unwanted promotional calls and messages while allowing businesses to send targeted communications to consenting customers. However, certain challenges have arisen during its implementation, prompting TRAI to review and strengthen the regulations.
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The consultation paper highlights several key areas for improvement, including:
- Definitions of Commercial Communications: Clarifying the scope of commercial communications to ensure effective regulation.
- Complaint Redressal: Enhancing the complaint redressal mechanisms to address consumer grievances promptly and efficiently.
- UCC Detect System: Improving the effectiveness of UCC detection systems to identify and block spam calls and messages more accurately.
- Financial Disincentives: Strengthening financial penalties for non-compliance with regulatory provisions to deter violations.
- Senders and Telemarketers: Revising regulations for senders and telemarketers to ensure accountability and prevent misuse of telecommunication services.
TRAI is also exploring the possibility of implementing differential tariffs for voice calls and SMS to discourage the sending of unsolicited communications.
Stakeholders, including consumers, businesses, and telecommunications service providers, are invited to submit their comments on the consultation paper by September 25, 2024. The final regulations will be based on the feedback received from the public.
