NEW DELHI: In a major push to curb the menace of unsolicited commercial communications, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has mandated telecom operators to take strict, proactive action against pesky callers and spammers flagged by their internal Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) based systems.

According to the new notification, telecom networks can now initiate action against suspected spammers directly, removing the traditional requirement of waiting for formal consumer complaints.

Key Highlights of TRAI’s New Directive:

  • Proactive Identification & Sharing: Every telecom operator receiving an incoming call flagged as "suspected spam" by its AI-enabled system must share details with the Originating Access Provider (OAP)—the network from which the call originated—within two hours of detection.

  • No Complaints Needed: Action will be triggered automatically based on AI/ML tracking, ensuring faster containment of fraudulent and commercial spam calls without requiring end-users to register individual complaints.

  • Strict Penalties for Violations: If a sender's connection is verified as a first-time violation through the AI system, all outgoing services across all telecom resources linked to the sender will be barred for 15 days, regardless of whether those specific resources were utilized in the spam activity.

  • Restrictions on Third-Party Apps: The updated rules bar third-party call management apps and services (such as Truecaller) from tagging, blocking, or filtering incoming calls originating from designated number series—such as those starting with '160' or specific official government and commercial communication series. However, individual users retain full freedom to manage filters on their personal devices.

Streamlining Consent and Preferences

Under the amended regulations, subscribers looking to block all telemarketing calls can text BLOCK PROMO to 1909. This option is designed to block promotional communications across all categories, content types, and time bands without affecting crucial transactional, service-oriented, or government communications. Existing preferences registered under the "FULLY BLOCK" category will automatically transition to the new BLOCK PROMO category within 15 days of the notification.

The regulatory framework specifies that these amended guidelines will be implemented in structured phases over the course of 30 to 90 days. Industry experts believe this stringent tech-driven approach will significantly bring down deceptive telemarketing practices and give mobile subscribers long-awaited relief.