2.75 lakh telecom connections disconnected as TRAI blacklisted more than 50 companies

Over the past two weeks, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has taken increasingly aggressive measures against spammers, resulting in the blacklisting of more than 50 companies and the disconnections of over 2.75 lakh SIP DIDs, mobile numbers, and telecom resources. With the intention of reducing unsolicited commercial communication, these activities are covered by the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (TCCCPR-2018).

TRAI’s stringent actions follow a troubling surge in complaints, with over 7.9 lakh grievances lodged against Unregistered Telemarketers (UTMs) in the first half of 2024 alone.

Recognising the urgency of the situation, TRAI issued a series of strict directives on 13th August 2024, instructing all access providers to immediately halt promotional voice calls originating from unregistered senders or telemarketers using session initiation protocol (SIP), primary rate interface (PRI), or other telecom resources.

Under these directives, any UTM found to be misusing telecom resources faces severe repercussions, including the disconnection of all telecom resources for up to two years and being blacklisted from further operations.

Access Providers, in compliance with TRAI’s orders, have swiftly acted to disconnect and blacklist entities engaged in such practices.

The impact of these measures is expected to be significant, providing much-needed relief to consumers plagued by incessant spam calls. TRAI has urged all stakeholders in the telecom industry to adhere strictly to the regulations and contribute towards creating a cleaner and more efficient telecom ecosystem.