New Delhi. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has overhauled its rules to curb unsolicited commercial communication, imposing tougher obligations on telemarketers and firms that send spam calls or texts.
Under the new regime, every telecom operator must integrate AI‑based and machine‑learning filters into their networks to spot suspicious commercial traffic. The technology is designed to flag abnormal calling patterns and halt the repeated abuse of telephone numbers.
Five Numbers in Ten Days Triggers Penalties
If five or more numbers linked to a single spammer are identified within a ten‑day window, TRAI empowers the regulator to order a disconnection of the offending connection. The entity may also be placed on a blacklist for up to one year, following the prescribed procedural safeguards.
In addition, TRAI has introduced a levy of 5 paise per minute on automated calls, adding a financial deterrent for large‑scale robo‑calling operations.
Misuse of Business Numbers and Templates
Operators must also act when a registered business number or a pre‑approved message template is abused. If a telemarketer is identified as the source, the enforcement can extend to all numbers associated with that telemarketer, potentially resulting in blacklisting.
Consumers dissatisfied with a complaint’s resolution have 15 days to appeal. Appeals can be lodged via the DND app, the service provider’s own app or portal, or by dialing 1909.
Mandatory Disclosure for Automated Calls
The revised framework also covers automated dialing systems, robocalls, and calls that use pre‑recorded or AI‑generated voices. Such calls must include a prior disclosure to the recipient.
TRAI further clarified that call‑management apps cannot blanket‑block entire commercial series such as 1600 and 1601 merely because of their number range.
These fresh measures aim to bolster oversight of commercial communications while equipping telecom operators with advanced tools to detect and act against suspected spam activity.
