Unwanted calls,SMSes wont buzz from Sept 27

Millions of telecom subscribers will finally be relieved from unwanted calls and SMSes from September 27.

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Millions of telecom subscribers (mobile and landline) will finally be relieved from unwanted calls and SMSes from September 27.

Subscribers who have registered their phone numbers with the National Customer Preference Registry (earlier know as Do Not Call Registry) would stop receiving any commercial communications,the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) said.

…relevant clauses of the regulations have been amended and the regulations are being implemented from September 27, it added in a statement. India has over 850 million mobile and over 34 million fixed line subscribers.

Last year,the regulator had announced recommendations to curb the menace of such calls and SMSes but the guidelines could not be implemented in the absence of an identified number series,first in case of commercial calls coming from mobile networks and then in landline phones.

Access Providers (operators) have to make relevant provisions in their network before allocation of resources to telemarketers using 140 numbering series from both mobile and fixed line networks, Trai said.

Trai had,last year,recommended a maximum fine of Rs 2.5 lakh on telemarketing companies for making unsolicited calls or SMSes to a consumer registered under the Do Not Call Registry list.

Subscribers have the option of choosing to be under the Fully Blocked category,which is akin to the Do Not Call Registry. If a user select the Partially Blocked category,they will receive SMSes in categories chosen by them.

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Trai has identified seven categories banking and financial products,real estate,education,health,consumer goods,automobiles,communication and entertainment,tourism and leisure.

Further,the regulator has reduced the period for subscriber to change their preference in NCPR to seven days from three months.

The Cellular Operators Association of India said that service providers are ready to implement the revised guidelines on mobile networks but it will be a challenge on landlines.