Freedom from unsolicited SMS in 6 weeks: Sibal

Once a number is registered, the server will block any unsolicited text message if a tele-marketer ties to send it

PTI | August 19, 2011



Millions of mobile phone users will be able to get rid of the menace of unsolicited text messages (SMS) in six weeks when DND (do not disturb) number 1909 becomes operational, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said today.

Mobile phone users can opt for not receiving text SMS in seven categories like real estate, credit cards, consumer durables, banking and finance by registering their number in National Do-Not-Call (NDNC) registry by calling or sending SMS to toll-free number 1909, he said in the Rajya Sabha.

"This will be in place in next six weeks," he said during Question Hour, adding users can opt for not receiving messages for any of the seven categories or all of these.

Once a number is registered, the server will block any unsolicited text message if a tele-marketer ties to send it.

"If you register, you would not get those messages," he said.

The NDNC Registry is a database having the list of all telephone numbers of subscribers who do not want to receive UCC "Unsolicited Commercial Communication".

Sibal said the government will impose "very high fines" for tele-marketers violating the DND.

On first offence a fine of Rs 25,000 will be imposed and a similar amount will be imposed on subsequent five offences after which the registration of the telemarketer will be cancelled.

Disconnection of telecom resources of defaulting telemarketers and provision of blacklisting them have also been provided in the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010, he said.

Comments

 

Other News

India will be powerful, not aggressive: Bhaiyyaji

India is poised to emerge as a global power but will remain rooted in its civilisational ethos of non-aggression and harmony, former RSS General Secretary Suresh `Bhaiyyaji` Joshi has said.   He was speaking at the launch of “Rashtrabhav,” a book by Ravindra Sathe

AI: Code, Control, Conquer

India today stands at a critical juncture in the area of artificial intelligence. While the country is among the fastest adopters of AI in the world, it remains heavily reliant on technologies developed elsewhere. This paradox, experts warn, cannot persist if India seeks technological sovereignty.

RBI pauses to assess inflation risks, policy transmission

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has begun the new fiscal year with a calibrated pause, keeping the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent in its April Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. The decision, taken unanimously, reflects a shift from aggressive policy action to cautious observation after a signi

New pathways for tourism growth

Traditionally, India’s tourism policy has been based on three main components: the number of visitors, building tourist attractions and providing facilities for tourists. Due to the increase in climate-related issues and environmental destruction that occurred over previous years, policymakers have b

Is the US a superpower anymore?

On April 8, hours after warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” US president Donald Trump, exhibiting his unique style of retreating from high-voltage brinkmanship, announced that he agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The weekend talks in Islamabad have failed and the futur

Machines communicate, humans connect

There is a moment every event professional knows—the kind that arrives without warning, usually an hour before the curtain rises. Months of meticulous planning are in place. And then comes the call: “We’ll also need a projector. For the slides.”   No email


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter