New Delhi:
Millions of mobile subscribers across the country are likely to get relief from pesky commercial calls and messages with the regulations preventing such communications coming into effect today.
To avail the service, the customers will have to get themselves registered with the National Customer Preference Registry, earlier known as "National Do Not Call Registry". The regulations include fines ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 250,000 for the defaulting companies. (
Read: How to block telemarketing SMS/calls)
According to reports, while the number of pesky calls has come down lately, the messages still remained a menace. On an average, as many as 47,454 complaints per month are being registered in this regard.
Communications Minister Kapil Sibal will today announce the implementation of the regulations - The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulation - thus laying down strict penalties for violators. (
Poll: Have you registered to block junk SMSes?)
Although over 130 million mobile subscribers had registered with the National Do Not Call registry till August 25, consumers are still pestered with unwanted commercial calls and messages.
The telecom watchdog had announced a set of new measures last year to curb such unsolicited commercial communications which were to be implemented from Jan 1, but it kept repeatedly postponing the implementation sate.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) has provided '140' number series to be allocated to telemarketers for a fixed line network. Access providers have to make relevant provisions in their network before allocation of resources to telemarketers using '140' numbering series from fixed line network.
Unlike the previous regulation that asked customers to register their numbers in "Do Not Call" list, the new regulations allows customers to choose from different categories like "Fully blocked" or "Partially blocked".
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or TRAI has disconnected over 72,000 telephone connections of registered telemarketers and over 118,000 of unregistered telemarketing companies for breaching guidelines related to commercial calls and messages up to May 2011.