The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is set to implement new anti-spam regulations in September 2024 that are anticipated to significantly disrupt mobile services across the country. This initiative is designed to combat the pervasive problems of spam messages and phishing attempts that have plagued Indian mobile users. As part of this plan, messages from banks, financial institutions, and e-commerce companies containing URLs or callback numbers that are not registered with telecom operators will be blocked. TRAI has mandated that these entities register their message templates and content with telecom operators by August 31, 2024, or risk having their messages blocked.
Previously, registration requirements only extended to headers and templates, not the actual content of the messages. Starting next month, telecom operators will deploy systems to read and verify the content of commercial messages to ensure compliance, blocking any unregistered content. This regulation reflects a growing global trend towards enhanced cybersecurity and more stringent data and communication governance. However, the scale of disruption could be significant, as India processes between 1.5 to 1.7 billion commercial messages daily.
New Compliance Deadlines and Industry Reactions
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) plans to implement new anti-spam regulations in September 2024, set to significantly affect mobile services nationwide. This initiative aims to tackle the widespread issues of spam messages and phishing attempts that have long troubled Indian mobile users. According to the plan, messages from banks, financial institutions, and e-commerce companies with URLs or callback numbers that aren’t registered with telecom operators will be blocked. TRAI requires these organizations to register their message templates and content with telecom operators by August 31, 2024, or risk their messages being blocked.
Previously, the focus was only on registering headers and templates, not the actual message content. Beginning next month, telecom operators will deploy systems to read and verify the content of commercial messages to ensure compliance, blocking any unregistered content. This regulation aligns with a global trend towards stronger cybersecurity and stricter data and communication governance. However, the disruption could be substantial, as India handles between 1.5 to 1.7 billion commercial messages daily.
