Pesky calls: Telcos seek level-playing field with messaging platforms in meeting regulatory norms

UCC

Telecom service providers have asked the government and the regulator to ensure a level playing field with messaging platforms in meeting regulatory requirements to curb pesky calls, as the Centre gears up to release guidelines to check the menace.

Telcos were working closely with the government and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to address the issue of Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC), the Cellular Operators Authority of India (COAI) said on May 21.

COAI represents private telcos Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea.

"In addressing the UCC menace, we look forward to progressive action from the authorities to ensure a level playing field in regulatory compliance requirements between TSPs (telecom service providers)and other messaging platforms providing similar communication services,” COAI said. Though it didn’t name the platforms, it is believed to be referring to WhatsApp and other such platforms.

The Centre is expected to finalise its guidelines to curb unsolicited business communication. The draft guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Unsolicited and Unwarranted Business Communication, 2024, are ready and were discussed on May 10.

TRAI’s Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR) was introduced in 2018 to address the menace of unsolicited calls and messages.

TCCCPR is based on blockchain — technology Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) — to provide the best possible solution to curb unsolicited communication. This is the first and the largest use case of DLT in telecom, globally. It also involves multiple stakeholders —service providers, telemarketers and aggregators among others.

Under TCCCPR, the telecom industry has developed various modules over the DLT framework, which have managed to bring down the volume of such messages over the last couple of years.

“However, UCC from voice calls is still an issue that the regulator and telecom service providers are working together to address. Telcos are currently working on bringing a few more models to address the issue of UCC through voice calls,” COAI director general SP Kochhar said.

The government has allocated the 140 series for promotional voice calls and prescribed the 160 series for transactional and service voice calls.

Kochhar said the modules were being worked upon and designed according to the discussions between telcos and technology partners. The modules will be implemented in the coming months.

He said the Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) framework was an important module developed by the telcos, wherein principal entities (PEs) are required to digitally take explicit consent from the users for sending commercial/business communications.

The service providers were trying to engage and onboard various PEs like banks, financial institutions and real estate agencies to implement the DCA framework.

COAI and its members are also part of the committee formed by the department of consumer affairs to tackle the menace of pesky calls from unregistered Telemarketers, the body said.

“The committee is working to prepare draft guidelines under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, to safeguard consumers from unwarranted commercial communications. We believe that these guidelines, once notified, will help address the menace of UCC substantially as it will put a deterrence on the Unregistered Telemarketers,” Kochhar said.

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