TRAI reiterates imposing Rs 153 cr penalty on telcos failing to address unsolicited calls

The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reiterated its stand on imposing Rs 153 crore penalty on telecommunication companies for failing to address unsolicited calls, according to CNBC-TV18.

TRAI has responded to the queries raised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

In December 2024, TRAI levied fines on telcos for inadequate efforts in curbing spam calls and messages. The penalties affected the likes of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and BSNL.

TRAI levied fines of approximately Rs 12 crore and adding previous penalties, the total amount stands at Rs 141 crore.

Read more: TRAI urges telcos to take immediate action to curb pesky calls

Several other smaller operators under the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR) were also penalised by the authority.

Despite penalties amounting to a total of Rs 141 crore, these companies are yet to pay, prompting TRAI to seek recovery through bank guarantees.

Since the telcos failed to settle the dues, TRAI had (in December) requested the DoT to recover the money by invoking the companies' bank guarantees.

Penalties can be imposed for non-compliance with the rules regarding unwanted calls. DoT may soon issue notices to the companies.

TCCCPR aims to protect consumers from spam calls and messages. The Authority is in the process of revising and enhancing the TCCCPR to effectively combat spam.

Read more: TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti calls for collaborative approach to combat spam calls

However, telcos emphasise that spam cannot be combated unless all participants in the ecosystem, including OTT platforms and businesses, are held accountable.

At present, only telcos are held accountable for unwanted calls. However, as per the report, telemarketing companies will also now be held responsible and may come under the purview of authorisation.