Trai Imposes 150 Crore Penalty on Jio, Airtel, and VI for Failure to Curb Spam Calls and Messages
TRAI Fines Telecom Operators: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has imposed a hefty fine of ₹150 crore on telecom operators (Jio, Airtel, and VI) for failing to curb the increasing number of spam calls and messages in the country. This penalty has been imposed for not properly following the rules between 2020 and 2023. TRAI says that the operators neither took timely action against spammers nor properly addressed customer complaints.
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Why the Fine Was Imposed on Telecom Operators
According to TRAI, this fine was not imposed because spam calls were originating from the operators' networks, but because they failed to take appropriate action against spammers as per the rules. According to an ET Telecom report, in many cases, telecom service providers wrongly closed customer complaints. The penalty was determined based on the provision that a fine of up to ₹50 lakh per license service area per month can be imposed.
Connections of Millions of Spammers Disconnected
During the audit, TRAI found serious negligence in taking action against spam. Last year, the regulator disconnected the mobile connections of more than 21 lakh spammers and blacklisted more than one lakh entities. Following the new directives issued on August 13, 2024, in September 2024 alone, the connections of approximately 18.8 lakh spammers were disconnected, and more than 1,150 entities were blacklisted. DND App and Easy Rules for Filing Complaints
For the convenience of users, TRAI has launched a DND app, which allows users to file complaints against spam calls or messages in just 4 to 6 clicks. Along with this, the time limit for filing complaints has been increased from 3 days to 7 days. Now any subscriber can file a complaint within seven days of receiving a call or SMS, making it easier to identify spammers.
Strict Rules to Crack Down on Spam
TRAI has further tightened the rules, stating that if 5 complaints are received against a number in the last 10 days, action can be initiated against it. The use of 1600 series numbers has been made mandatory for transactional and service calls by entities related to the banking, financial services, and insurance sectors. Government entities will also have to use the same series for calling citizens, while promotional calls from 10-digit mobile numbers will not be allowed.
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