New TRAI rules take effect: No more spam calls, SMS from today

New TRAI rules: An order by regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) mandating telecom operators to set up a compulsory Artificial Intelligence (AI)- and Machine Learning (ML)-based spam filter on calls and SMSes from May 1. The step is aimed at countering fraudulent activities by spammers using telecom networks. Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have already announced plans to start the AI filter service soon.

Here are 10 things to know about this big story:

1. According to sources, an official order by TRAI is likely on Monday, May 1.
2. The development comes amid breakneck competition in India’s telecom industry as operators continue to struggle for market share. Many analysts have remained cautious on the space.
3. In February, the telecom regulator directed telecom companies to study the templates of registered headers and messages on the distributed ledger technologies (DLT) platform and block unverified message templates.
4. It set May 1 as the deadline for telecom companies to implement the AI-enabled filter to fight spam calls and SMSes.
5. How will telecom firms keep a tab on tele-callers? Telemarketers will need to get unique numbers from telecom providers to make marketing calls and send SMSes.
6. Telecom providers must stop making sales calls to 10-digit mobile numbers, according to TRAI.
7. The telecom companies will have to register both the number and the template as unregistered number calls and SMS will be blocked by the AI filter.
8. Fake calls and SMSes are a major concern for mobile users as well as regulatory authorities. Experts say it is one of the common ways that scammers attempt to defraud unwitting clients.
9. The telecom regulator has also ordered that the caller's name and picture should appear in the caller ID feature.
10. In January, industry body COAI — whose more than 30 members include Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea —argued that telecom operators should be allowed to choose whether to deploy Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) citing user privacy-related concerns.

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