TRAI tells mobile firms to enhance apps, web portals to curb spam messages

New Delhi, June 25: In a bid to curb spam calls and messages, the government has issued fresh directions to mobile services providers. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has mandated mobile services providers to enhance their mobile apps and web portals to make them more user-friendly for registration of unsolicited commercial communication (UCC) complaints.

The TRAI has mandated mobile services providers to ensure that options for UCC complaint registration and preference management are easily accessible on their mobile applications and websites. “Also, essential details for the registration of complaints should be automatically populated, if users grant permission to access their call logs and other relevant data,” said the telecom regulatory body.

The TRAI has also implemented amendments to the performance monitoring report formats (PMRs). All mobile services providers will now be required to submit PMRs on a monthly basis, as opposed to the previous quarterly reporting cycle, said the Ministry of Communications.

Earlier this month, the TRAI allocated 160 mobile phone series for making transactional and service voice calls for all entities regulated by RBI, SEBI, IRDAI and PFRDA in the first phase, in order to prevent the duping of citizens from the fraudsters. Once the 160 mobile series is implemented, it will help in the easy identification of the calling entity.