Trai Pushes DoT to Recover Rs 115 Crore from Telecom Firms for Spam Violations

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) are the biggest defaulters, with a total debt of Rs 50 crore

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been directed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to encash bank guarantees worth Rs 115 crore from telecom companies that have failed to pay fines for violations associated with spam. In order to reduce unsolicited commercial communications, the Telecom Commercial messages Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR) have taken an important step ahead with this action.

The Economic Times reported that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) are the biggest defaulters, with a total debt of Rs 50 crore for violations in the last ten years. Dues for penalties built up over the previous 10 months to three years total Rs 20 crore, Rs 15 crore, and Rs 12 crore for Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Reliance Jio, respectively. Telecom companies claim that telemarketers and corporations are the real violators behind unsolicited calls and texts, and hence they should not be considered solely responsible for spam. Even if distributed ledger technology (DLT) based on blockchain is being used to reduce spam, Trai still holds the telecoms responsible for enforcing the regulations.

In response to concerns expressed by telcos, banks, and e-commerce enterprises regarding delays in the delivery of commercial messages, the telecom regulator has extended the due date for whitelisting SMS content until October 1. However, Trai aims to increase enforcement and collect remaining debts from telecom companies, as indicated by its most recent actions.