New Delhi: The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing leading telecom operators, has expressed its support for the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) directive to implement message traceability through Principal Entity-Telemarketer (PE-TM) binding.
This regulatory measure, effective from December 11, 2024, mandates that all commercial messages must be fully traceable, with undefined or unmatched telemarketer chains resulting in message blocking.
Lt. Gen. Dr S.P. Kochhar, Director General of COAI, stated, “These collective efforts by TRAI, TSPs, PEs and TMs mark a transformative step in ensuring the traceability and security of commercial messages. This initiative will not only safeguard consumers from fraudulent and unsolicited commercial messages but also enhance trust in the communication networks.”
Telecom Operators Prepared for Compliance
COAI emphasized that all member Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have deployed the necessary technical solutions to implement the PE-TM binding process and were operationally prepared well before the deadline. To ensure a seamless transition, the TSPs initiated the process in a logger mode on November 1 this year. This phase allowed operators to identify and resolve issues related to unregistered or mismatched chains without disrupting traffic.
“To minimize consumer inconvenience, TSPs worked in collaboration with Principal Entities and Telemarketers during the logger phase to address technical and operational issues,” the association noted.
Extensive Engagement with Stakeholders
The COAI detailed its collaborative efforts involving over 18,000 telemarketers and 300,000 Principal Entities, which included representatives from diverse sectors such as BFSI, insurance, and government bodies. These efforts encompassed numerous meetings and webinars aimed at creating awareness about the chain registration process, technical modifications for hashing functions, and operational requirements.
The association reported that over 90% of Principal Entities, responsible for the bulk of commercial traffic, have successfully registered their chains, ensuring readiness for the full compliance phase.
Enhancing Consumer Trust in Communication
Effective today, messages with undefined or mismatched telemarketer chains will be blocked in adherence to TRAI’s directive. This measure, COAI noted, aims to safeguard consumers from fraudulent and unsolicited commercial messages while reinforcing transparency and security in communication networks.
Lt. Gen. Kochhar added, “COAI is committed to supporting the vision of a safer and more transparent communication ecosystem and thanks all stakeholders for their cooperation and dedication to this critical endeavour.”
This regulatory milestone reflects a collective effort by the telecom industry to enhance consumer trust and establish a more secure communication environment.
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