Relief in sight: Trai directs telcos to set up central registry to curb pesky calls

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If you were tormented by pesky calls soliciting sales, an end could be finally in sight. Telecom regulator (TRAI) has instructed telecom companies to set up a unified digital platform – a central registry of citizens of sorts – that would seek and store consent of citizens who want to receive promotional calls and also indicate those who don’t. The regulator has given the companies two months – or time till July 31 – to complete the assignment.

According to primary information, the registry would be a dynamic one. It would not only enlist and store consent, or disapproval, to receive promotional or pesky calls but would also store the information if users revoke their approval or disapproval.

Besides call, it would also apply to messages as well.

According to news reports, in the first phase cellphone users will be able to register their consent for receiving promotional calls/messages. At a later stage, different businesses will be able to contact citizens to seek their consent to receive messages/calls to promote products and/or services.

“TRAI has now issued a direction to all the access providers to develop and deploy the Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) facility for creating a unified platform and process to register customers’ consent digitally across all service providers and principal entities,” the regulator said on June 3.

The consent data will be shared on the digital platform, TRAI said.

This direction has been issued by TRAI under its Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations, 2018.

Needless to say, the new infrastructure could go a long way in addressing the menace of pesky calls that have been a source of irritation of numerous citizens across the country.

Right now, a subscriber has no permanent defence against the storm of promotional calls and messages that inundates the average citizen regularly. One can take help of software such as Trucaller and not receive calls from numbers identified as spam caller. Else, one can block all such numbers. The new platform could offer a lasting solution for all citizens.