Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recently imposed a total fine of Rs 150 crore on the country’s telecom operators. This penalty has been imposed on those companies which failed to stop spam calls and messages. This penalty has been implemented for three years from 2020 to 2023.
TRAI says that the penalty was also imposed because the companies did not resolve consumer complaints properly and did not follow the rules. According to the information, TRAI has taken action against those telecom operators who did not take necessary steps to stop spam calls and messages. Last year TRAI shut down around 21 lakh spam connections and blacklisted more than 1 lakh connections.
Even in September 2024, 18.8 lakh spam connections were closed and 1150 were blacklisted. TRAI clearly says that the fine was not imposed because spam calls or messages were sent from someone’s network, but because the companies did not take appropriate action against these spammers.
TRAI has made the rules more stringent to stop spam calls and messages. The investigation found that many telecom companies wrongly closed consumer complaints, which allowed the problem to persist. To improve this direction, TRAI has also launched the DND app, through which users can report any spam call or message in just a few clicks.
Through this app, consumers can lodge a complaint about any spam call or message within seven days. Apart from this, TRAI has also set a deadline for action on complaints. If five complaints are filed against a sender within 10 days, then it is necessary to take action against it. In this way, TRAI has not only tightened the rules for the telecom companies, but has also provided an easy and fast medium to the consumers to lodge their complaints.
This step will help in controlling the problem of spam calls and messages in the country and ensuring accountability of telecom companies. TRAI aims to resolve consumer complaints in a timely manner and prevent inappropriate or unwanted messages on the network.
