The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is rolling out new message traceability regulations from December 11. This move aims to make mobile communication safer by tackling spam and fraudulent messages, while ensuring the seamless delivery of essential messages like one-time passwords (OTPs).
Major telecom providers, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, BSNL, and Vodafone Idea, are set to adopt these norms.
Message traceability is designed to identify the origin of every commercial message sent to mobile users. It ensures transparency by making it possible to track the entire journey of a message, from telemarketers to the end user.
The system also identifies parties involved in the process, holding them accountable for compliance.
The implementation of these norms comes at a time when mobile users across India face a growing number of spam and scam messages. By ensuring promotional and transactional messages are clearly regulated, Trai aims to provide users with a safer and more transparent communication experience.
Under the new rules, all commercial messages must comply with traceability standards. Messages failing to meet these criteria will be rejected. Telecom providers have been tasked with issuing daily warnings to defaulters and blocking non-compliant messages to enforce these norms.
There were initial concerns about the potential impact on OTPs, which play a crucial role in online transactions. Delays in implementing the system were largely due to the need for telecom providers to upgrade their systems without disrupting essential services like OTP delivery.
To address these concerns, many e-commerce platforms have adopted alternative solutions such as WhatsApp messages and in-app notifications for delivering OTPs and other critical updates. Trai has also assured users that these essential messages will not face delays under the new framework.
The road to implementing these norms has been a gradual one. Trai first issued directions in August 2024, mandating that all commercial messages must be traceable starting from November 1. However, telecom providers requested more time to prepare their systems, leading to extensions until December 10.
In the process, Trai worked closely with stakeholders, including government bodies, industry regulators such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), and key industry players.
Numerous webinars and meetings were organised to help telemarketers and principal entities understand and adopt the system effectively.
The Ministry of Communications has reported that over 27,000 organisations have already registered their message chains to comply with the new norms. Registrations continue to rise as businesses align with the updated requirements.
India sees an estimated 1.5 to 1.7 billion commercial messages sent daily. With the introduction of these norms, Trai is bringing a significant change to how promotional and transactional communication is managed.
The primary goal of this initiative is to shield mobile users from fraudulent and spam messages while ensuring that crucial messages like OTPs are delivered without interruption.
Trai hopes that this blend of stringent regulation and technological enhancement will create a safer and more reliable messaging environment for users across the country.
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