In January 2026, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI) took strict action against telecom service providers (TSPs), levying
financial penalties totaling over ₹150 crore. The fines were imposed due to
operators’ lapses in addressing spam calls and messages effectively.
Why the Penalties Were Imposed
The penalties stemmed from operators improperly closing
consumer complaints and failing to promptly suspend or disconnect numbers used
for spam. Audits covering a three-year period from 2020 highlighted that many
complaints were marked resolved without proper verification or investigation.
Industry Reaction
Telecom companies have reportedly contested the fines,
arguing against the financial disincentives imposed.
Enhanced Anti-Spam Regulations in 2026
TRAI has also strengthened its framework to fight spam more
effectively:
Lower Complaint Threshold: Action against a number can now
be initiated if five complaints are filed within 10 days.
Extended Complaint Period: Subscribers now have 7 days,
instead of 3, to report spam calls or messages.
Mandatory Number Series: Banks, insurance, and financial
institutions are required to use 1,600-series numbers for service and
transactional communication.
Message Tagging System: SMS messages must include a suffix
indicating type:
P – Promotional
T – Transactional
S – Service
G – Government
Stricter Penalties for Operators: Non-compliant telecom
providers may face fines of up to ₹50 lakh per month, per licensed service
area.
Over the last year, TRAI has already disconnected more than
21 lakh spam connections and blacklisted over one lakh entities to protect
subscribers from unwanted communication.
Author: Advik Gupta
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