NEW DELHI: To curb the threat of nuisance calls and sms, telecom regulator Trai ordered service providers to develop a unified digital platform within two months to seek, maintain and revoke customer consent for promotional calls and messages . In the first phase, only subscribers will be able to start the process to register their consent to receive promotional calls and SMS, and then business entities will be able to contact customers to request their consent to receive promotional messages, Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of India ( Trai) said in a statement on Saturday.
“Trai has now issued an instruction to all access providers to develop and implement the Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) facility to create a unified platform and process to record customer consent digitally across all service providers and major entities,” Trai said.
Currently, there is no unified system to show customers’ consent to receive promotional messages.
“Considering the volume of work involved, Trai has allocated two months to develop such facilities by all access providers and thereafter gradually implement them. This instruction has been issued by Trai pursuant to its Preemption Regulations of the client of commercial communication of telecommunications, 2018”. Tray said.
Under the prevailing system, consent is obtained and maintained by the various main entities such as banks, other financial institutions, insurance companies, trading companies, commercial entities, real estate companies, etc.
The absence of a unified digital platform makes it impossible for telecommunications operators to verify the veracity of consents.
“The DCA process will have the facility to seek, maintain and revoke the consent of clients, according to the processes provided in the TCCCP Regulation 2018. The consent data collected will be shared in the digital accounting platform (DLT) so that all providers get them purged,” Tray said.
Access providers, which include telecommunications players such as trust jioBharti Airtel, vodafone ideathey have also been instructed to use a common short code beginning with 127 to send consent-seeking messages.
“The purpose, scope of the consent, and the primary entity or brand name will be clearly mentioned in the consent request message sent via the shortcode,” the statement reads.
Only whitelisted or approved web links or apps, callback numbers, etc. will be allowed. in consent-seeking messages, she said.
“In addition, access providers will need to develop an SMS, IVR (interactive voice response), online facility to record customers’ unwillingness to receive consent-seeking messages initiated by any parent entity,” the statement added.
“Trai has now issued an instruction to all access providers to develop and implement the Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) facility to create a unified platform and process to record customer consent digitally across all service providers and major entities,” Trai said.
Currently, there is no unified system to show customers’ consent to receive promotional messages.
“Considering the volume of work involved, Trai has allocated two months to develop such facilities by all access providers and thereafter gradually implement them. This instruction has been issued by Trai pursuant to its Preemption Regulations of the client of commercial communication of telecommunications, 2018”. Tray said.
Under the prevailing system, consent is obtained and maintained by the various main entities such as banks, other financial institutions, insurance companies, trading companies, commercial entities, real estate companies, etc.
The absence of a unified digital platform makes it impossible for telecommunications operators to verify the veracity of consents.
“The DCA process will have the facility to seek, maintain and revoke the consent of clients, according to the processes provided in the TCCCP Regulation 2018. The consent data collected will be shared in the digital accounting platform (DLT) so that all providers get them purged,” Tray said.
Access providers, which include telecommunications players such as trust jioBharti Airtel, vodafone ideathey have also been instructed to use a common short code beginning with 127 to send consent-seeking messages.
“The purpose, scope of the consent, and the primary entity or brand name will be clearly mentioned in the consent request message sent via the shortcode,” the statement reads.
Only whitelisted or approved web links or apps, callback numbers, etc. will be allowed. in consent-seeking messages, she said.
“In addition, access providers will need to develop an SMS, IVR (interactive voice response), online facility to record customers’ unwillingness to receive consent-seeking messages initiated by any parent entity,” the statement added.