SIM Owners Will Be Fined Up to 10 Lakhs Rs for Violating New TRAI Regulations.

Telecom regulator TRAI has introduced new rules to tackle fake calls and messages. Under these rules, individuals making fake marketing calls can face fines of up to Rs 10 lakh. The guidelines are part of the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), which focus on controlling unwanted commercial communication (UCC).

What Are the New Rules?

According to the new guidelines, if someone is found making fake calls or sending messages, they will face fines based on the number of violations. The first violation will result in a fine of Rs 2 lakh, the second will cost Rs 5 lakh, and repeated violations can lead to a fine of Rs 10 lakh.

Updated DND App

To further assist users, TRAI has launched an updated Do-Not-DISTURB (DND) app. This app allows users to customize their preferences for marketing calls and messages. Users can block unwanted messages, file complaints, and track the actions taken on their complaints.

Complaint Process Improved

TRAI has also extended the complaint period from 3 days to 7 days. Additionally, the time frame for responding to complaints has been reduced from 30 days to just 5 days. This change aims to ensure quicker resolutions for users facing issues.

Identifying Commercial Messages

With the new regulations, users will be able to easily identify commercial messages. Messages from registered telemarketers will now end with specific headers: ‘-P’ for promotional, ‘-S’ for service, ‘-T’ for transactions, and ‘-G’ for government messages. Any message without these headers will be considered fake.

New Telemarketing Number Series

TRAI has also introduced a new number series for telemarketing calls, which will now start from 1600, replacing the previous series that began with 140. This change aims to help users differentiate between legitimate and potentially unwanted calls.