- New Rules to Stop Unwanted Texts What You Need to Know
- Comparison between the old and new regulations governing the Bulk SMS Industry
- Change in Indian Bulk SMS
- FAQ
- Q1. How do recent TRAI regulations impact bulk SMS in India?
- 2. What benefits do these regulations offer consumers?
- Q3: What steps should businesses take to adhere to the new TRAI rules?
- Q4: What role does Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) play in the new regulatory framework?
- Q5: When did the new regulations officially take effect?
- Q6: Where can I access more detailed information about the new TRAI regulations?
- FAQ
New Rules to Stop Unwanted Texts What You Need to Know #
Change in Indian Bulk SMS Despite the availability of Do Not Disturb (DND) activation options and the implementation of effective measures to combat spam, the issue of receiving unwanted and unsolicited SMS messages is on the rise for SMS local companies. Customers are still being plagued by unsolicited texts, unwanted SMS, and phishing attempts, even after opting for DND services.
To protect the interests of consumers, regulatory authorities, such as TRAI, have introduced The Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR) 2018. TRAI has issued specific guidelines aimed at preventing fraudulent practices and eradicating spamming.
Under the revised TRAI guidelines, the entire system will be managed using Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). According to these guidelines, every individual or business entity, including telemarketers, must register with the telecom operators on the DLT platform to continue sending SMS to their clients and customers. Both the Individual/Business (Principal Entity) and Telemarketers will be held accountable by telecom operators (Access Providers), who, in turn, will have direct accountability to TRAI.
This structured framework, as illustrated below, ensures that all five entities are interconnected, thus enhancing security and confidentiality in the SMS communication network for Idea, Vodafone, and other local companies.
In case you are looking for DND activation SMS codes or DND messages for Idea or Vodafone, please let us know, and we will provide you with the specific information you need.
Comparison between the old and new regulations governing the Bulk SMS Industry #
| Features | Previous Scenario | New Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Entity and Telemarketer Registration | Only Bulk SMS Service Provider Companies were required to register with TRAI, and no registration was required for Individual or Business owners who wanted to send SMS to their clients. | As per the new rules, both Bulk SMS Service Providers and Individual/Business owners must register with the Telecom Operator to continue sending SMS to their clients. Registration is mandatory for every entity. |
| Header and Template Registration | Headers were known by the name of Sender IDs, and the approval of Sender IDs and templates was in the hands of the Bulk SMS Provider from which you were purchasing Bulk SMS Service. | According to the updated rules, each Header and Template must be approved and registered with the Telecom Operators. The Bulk SMS Service Provider Company will no longer have control to approve Sender IDs and Templates. Headers should have a unique identity and must be submitted for the operator’s approval. After verification and approval, SMS can be sent using your header, which will have a unique ID. |
| Message Type | There were 2 main routes for sending SMS – Transactional and Promotional. The transactional route was used for conveying informative SMS, alerts, and OTPs, and the Promotional route was used for sending marketing SMS related to offers and discounts. | In the latest update, 3 routes have been introduced – Transactional, Promotional, and Service (Implicit and Explicit). Transactional routes will be reserved exclusively for banks to send OTPs. Informative and alert SMS will fall under the Implicit category in the Service route. If a customer has opted to receive promotional SMS from a particular company, it will come under the Explicit category. Brands can send marketing messages to Non-DND numbers using the Promotional route. |
| Customer Consent | The option of Customer Consent was not there in the previous rule. | Customers are now given complete control to receive SMS from any brand or company and can cancel their consent at any time. |
| Customer Preferences | Previously, customers had the choice between DND and non-DND. Promotional Messages were sent to Non-DND numbers only between 9 AM and 9 PM, and messages sent from the Transactional route were delivered to both DND and Non-DND numbers 24/7. | The new rules allow customers to set preferences to receive messages according to their will and can change them anytime. Even if a customer has activated DND, they can still receive promotional texts from a company if they have permitted it. Customers can also specify a time frame for receiving promotional texts. For example, if a customer is permitted to receive promotional SMS from 4 PM to 6 PM, promotional SMS will only be delivered within that specified time frame. |
| Scrubbing Function | Messages were filtered based on DND and Non-DND only. | Messages will now be filtered in real time, and the results will be applicable instantly. For example, if a customer has given consent to receive messages from SMSLocal Company on Friday from 5 PM to 6 PM but withdraws the consent on Friday at 2 PM, then no SMS will be delivered to them from 5 PM to 6 PM. Filtration requests are immediately processed and monitored in real-time. |
| Complaint Management | The Complaint Management system was not very strict, and there were delays in addressing customer grievances. | In the updated TRAI rules, customers can register complaints regarding the violation of their preferences directly in the panel using calls and SMS. Immediate action will be taken regarding customer complaints and significant penalties will be imposed on violators. |
| Interoperability between telecom service providers | This feature was not present previously. | Each telecom operator will now be able to view all the details of customers and businesses directly at their end. |
| 100% Traceability | It was difficult to obtain 100% Traceability in the Bulk SMS Mechanism. | The entire panel will now be administered using Blockchain Technology and can be traced back at any given time. Each entity will be interconnected with every other entity, thereby helping to regulate activities in a transparent manner. |
Change in Indian Bulk SMS #
Explore the transformative changes in Indian Bulk SMS driven by the adoption of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and stringent regulations, as regulatory authorities aim to combat spam and protect consumers from unsolicited messages and phishing attempts.
These guidelines have been developed to address the issue of unsolicited SMS and to deter fraudulent practices within the SMSLocal Company. TRAI’s regulations are designed to safeguard customer privacy, eradicate spam, and contribute to the establishment of an authentic and ethical code of conduct in the Bulk SMS Business.
FAQ #
Q1. How do recent TRAI regulations impact bulk SMS in India? #
Recent TRAI regulations in India bring significant changes:
- Mandatory registration for businesses and SMS providers.
- Approval for sender IDs and templates.
- Message categorization into Transactional, Promotional, and Service.
- Customer control over message preferences.
- Real-time filtering of messages.
- Improved complaint handling and traceability.
2. What benefits do these regulations offer consumers? #
Consumers gain:
- Reduced spam
- Clear sender identification
- Personalized message control
- Enhanced security
- Efficient complaint resolution
