The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a fresh set of directives aimed at curbing the misuse of messaging services and enhancing consumer protection against fraudulent practices. The recently announced regulations for access service providers will be implemented in phases, beginning on September 1, 2024.
Starting September 1, access service providers will be prohibited from transmitting messages containing URLs, APKs, OTT links, or callback numbers unless they have been whitelisted by the respective senders. This measure is intended to combat phishing attacks and deceptive links often used by fraudsters.
Also, TRAI has mandated all access service providers to ensure that telemarketing calls, which currently begin with the 140 series, are migrated to an online Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platform by September 30, 2024, to provide for better monitoring and control over them.
TRAI further stated that to ensure greater traceability in message transmissions, it has set a November 1 deadline for access service providers to ensure that the trail of all messages, from the sender to the recipient, is fully traceable. Messages with undefined or mismatched telemarketer chains will be automatically rejected, enhancing transparency in messaging networks.
Additionally, TRAI has introduced stringent punitive measures for the misuse of content templates, particularly in cases where templates are wrongly categorised or used for promotional content. Offenders may face blacklisting of such templates and a suspension of services for a month if such offenses are repeated.
To further tighten compliance, TRAI has mandated that all registered headers and content templates on the DLT platform strictly adhere to the prescribed guidelines. Each content template can only be associated with a single header to prevent misuse, it said.
In the event that a sender's header or content templates are misused, TRAI has directed access service providers to immediately suspend the use of all associated messaging traffic. It also said restoration of services will only occur after the sender initiates legal action against the misuse. Delivery telemarketers are also required to identify and report the responsible entities within two business days or face similar penalties.
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