Industry
Mint Explainer: Trai's latest crackdown on spam calls—inside the latest measures
Summary
- New regulations target spam with message filters and accountability mechanisms—can they curb India's growing spam problem?
On Thursday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) took a decisive step in its ongoing battle against spam calls and messages, directing telecom operators to disconnect all resources provided to entities found to be engaging in such activities and to blacklist them for two years.
India's spam problem has surged in recent years, with a significant increase in unsolicited calls and messages. While many of these are marketing efforts by legitimate companies, a substantial number are fraudulent. What steps has Trai taken to tackle this issue, and will these efforts finally make a difference? Mint delves into the growing spam problem in India and evaluates Trai's strategies to combat it.
What are Trai's strategies to combat spam?
One of the key measures announced by Trai on Thursday is the restriction on delivering messages containing unverified links or APK files (used for installing Android apps) starting 1 September. Such messages will only be allowed if they are whitelisted, though the regulator has left it to telecom operators to determine the specifics of this process. It remains unclear whether the whitelisting will be managed solely by the telcos or also involve Trai, and whether it will be shared across networks.
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Trai also directed telecom companies to establish mechanisms by 31 October that create a traceable chain between the entity using bulk messaging services and the telemarketers. This move aims to enhance accountability by tracking the origin of messages.
In its latest order, the regulator also mandated that telecom operators disconnect any telecom resources of entities found to be misusing bulk connections for spam calls. These entities will be blacklisted for two years, with the blacklist shared across the industry to prevent them from using resources elsewhere.
Have telcos raised concerns on these directions?
While telecom operators have yet to formally respond to Trai's latest directives, industry executives have expressed concerns about the potential burden on Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) providers.
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PABX refers to private telephone networks that connect internal phone lines to each other and to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). These entities will now be responsible for ensuring their systems are not used for spam calls. However, Trai's order does not specify how PABX providers should identify and block spam calls, leaving room for interpretation and potential challenges.
The scale of India’s spam problem
According to a February 2024 survey by LocalCircles, 60% of respondents reported receiving three or more spam calls per day over the past year. In 2022, a similar study found that 64% of Indians experienced this level of spam, with 95% of those registered on the Do Not Disturb (DND) list still receiving unwanted calls.
Trai's efforts to curb spam calls date back to 2018, when it introduced the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, imposing heavy fines on telemarketers who violated consumer preferences. In 2019, Trai mandated the migration of all commercial telemarketers to a blockchain platform, which led to a reduction in spam from registered telemarketers.
However, spammers adapted, using regular 10-digit numbers instead of the official telemarketer series starting with 140.
In its ongoing efforts, Trai has also recommended the implementation of 'Calling Name Presentation' (CNAP) technology to help users identify spam calls by displaying the caller's name.
What is CNAP, and can it make a difference?
CNAP, a feature currently under limited trial by telecom operators, displays the caller's name alongside the number, potentially helping users identify and avoid spam calls from unknown numbers.
What are the challenges in implementing CNAP?
Telecom operators have raised concerns about CNAP, citing technical issues such as increased network load, potential degradation of call quality, and privacy concerns.
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According to a senior executive at a leading carrier, who requested anonymity, many consumers may be reluctant to share their names when making calls, especially in the absence of robust privacy laws in India.
Is spam a global issue?
Yes, spam calls and texts are a global problem, though the severity varies by region. Developed markets like the US and Europe are not immune, and while governments worldwide are leveraging technology to address the issue, a fool proof solution remains elusive. A survey by Truecaller ranked India as the fourth most spam-affected country, trailing only Brazil, Peru, and Ukraine.
