Telcos can curb pesky calls in 6 weeks of new numbering series -Governance Now

Telcos can curb pesky calls in 6 weeks of new numbering series

TRAI recommended a fine of up to Rs 2,50,000 on tele-marketing companies for making unsolicited calls or sending such SMSes to a consumer registered in national customer preference register

PTI | May 26, 2011

Telecom companies have informed telecom regulator Trai that they will be able to implement rules to curb pesky calls within six weeks of DoT allocating landline number series to tele-marketing companies.

Telcos have asked a maximum of six-week time to make changes in their network to meet Trai's new rules on pesky calls and SMSes, telecom regulator said on Wednesday.

"We can have it (regulations to curb pesky call) implemented in four to six weeks time of DoT allocating landline number series," Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman J S Sarma said on the sidelines of an open house discussion on Interconnection Usage Charge (IUC) here.

In December, Trai come with recommendations, 'The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010' to curb menace of pesky calls and SMS.

It has recommended a fine of up to Rs 2,50,000 on tele-marketing companies for making unsolicited calls or sending such SMSes to a consumer registered in national customer preference register -- a modified version of Trai's do-not-call registry list.

However, the recommendations have not been implemented so far as the Department of Telecom (DoT) is yet to resolve some technical and security issues involved in the allocation of identifiable number series as recommended by Trai.

After deliberations with telecom operators, DoT is now working on new a number series for tele-marketing companies.

"DoT has written to security agencies for approval a week back and hope that it (new number series) will be made available soon," Sarma said.

However, he did not specify time for the implementation of the regulation.

"It depends on clearance from security agencies... I hope it should be done soon," Sarma said.

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