New TRAI rules to curb spam calls and related fraud from May 1

Starting May 1, 2023, the Telecom Regulator of India (TRAI) will implement new rules to combat these spam communication calls. The new rules require all telecom companies to use AI spam filters in their SMS and call services. This is an important step taken by TRAI, the telecom regulator in India, to protect consumers from fraud and harassment.

As per media reports, the new rules published by TRAI require telecom companies like Airtel, BSNL, Jio, and Vodafone Idea to use AI spam filters for their call and SMS services. These filters will identify and block spam and promotional calls and messages from different sources, which scammers often use to steal your money. The objective is to combat the growing cases of spam and the inconvenience this type of call and message causes customers.

Following the mandate, Airtel and Reliance Jio are among the telecom giants that have decided to implement the AI filter service. Airtel has verified this in an official statement, while Jio may launch the service soon.

Also, to curb the problem of fake calls and messages, TRAI has asked telecommunication companies to stop sending promotional calls to 10-digit mobile numbers, which spammers and scammers often use. The government has also asked telecommunications companies to implement a caller ID feature to help customers identify the caller by displaying their photo and name on the mobile phone screen.

However, telcos like Airtel and Jio are reluctant to use the technology for privacy reasons. However, no clear information related to this announcement has been released. As of now, the implementation of AI technology to filter spam will start on May 1.

In the meantime, if you want to permanently block unwanted calls, you need to activate DND on your mobile number. TRAI has a special service that blocks spam calls permanently. It's called the National Customer Preference Registry (NCPR), which was formerly known as the National Do Not Call Registry (NDNC). Help people stop spam calls. You can subscribe to this DND service to avoid all or some telemarketing calls. The National Registry of Consumer Preferences guarantees that DND activation only stops unwanted commercial calls from third parties and not SMS alerts from your bank, portals and online services, or personal calls from others.