_No more 10-digits numbers for telemarketing_ The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced stricter regulations under the amended Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018, aiming to curb spam calls and enhance consumer protection. Announced on February 12, 2025, these changes are particularly significant for businesses engaged in telemarketing, customer outreach, and digital communication strategies. The rise in unsolicited commercial communications (UCC) has led to increasing consumer complaints and misuse of telecom resources. To address these concerns, TRAI launched an industry-wide consultation in August 2024, gathering feedback from key stakeholders. The new amendments focus on eliminating unregistered telemarketers (UTMs), preventing businesses from misusing 10-digit mobile numbers for marketing, strengthening consumer complaint mechanisms, and increasing accountability for both businesses and telecom service providers. One of the most significant changes is the restriction on the use of standard 10-digit mobile numbers for telemarketing. Businesses must now use designated number series to differentiate between promotional and service-related calls. The 140-series will continue to be used for promotional calls, while the newly introduced 1600-series will be assigned for transactional and service-related communications. This move aims to enhance transparency and allow consumers to easily distinguish between marketing and essential service messages. TRAI has also streamlined the consumer complaint process, making it easier and faster for users to report spam messages and calls. Consumers are no longer required to pre-register their communication preferences to lodge complaints. The time window for reporting spam has been extended from three days to seven days, and telecom operators are now required to resolve complaints within five days, a significant reduction from the previous 30-day limit. Additionally, the threshold for taking action against violators has been lowered, requiring only five complaints within ten days instead of the previous requirement of ten complaints in seven days. Telecom providers must also ensure that complaint registration options are prominently displayed on their mobile apps and websites for user convenience. To enforce compliance, TRAI has introduced stringent penalties for businesses and telemarketers who fail to adhere to these regulations. First-time violators will face a 15-day suspension of outgoing telecom services. Repeat offenders will have all their telecom resources, including PRI/SIP trunks, disconnected across all service providers for a year and will be blacklisted. Telecom operators failing to enforce these regulations will also face financial penalties, with fines starting at ₹2 lakh for the first violation, increasing to ₹5 lakh for the second, and ₹10 lakh for every subsequent offence. Additionally, all businesses using telemarketing services must now enter legally binding agreements with telecom providers, clearly outlining responsibilities and penalties for non-compliance. Consumer control over marketing communications has been further strengthened through mandatory opt-out options and standardized message categorization. Every promotional message must include an easily accessible opt-out feature, allowing consumers to block unwanted content. TRAI has also introduced standardized message headers to help users distinguish between different types of communications. Promotional messages will be marked with "-P", service-related messages with "-S", transactional messages with "-T", and government communications with "-G". To prevent excessive solicitation, businesses must wait for at least 90 days before requesting fresh consent from consumers who have opted out of marketing communications. For businesses that rely on telemarketing, customer engagement, and promotional campaigns, these regulations require significant adjustments in their communication strategies. Companies must transition to the approved number series, ensure compliance with opt-out policies, categorize messages appropriately, and strengthen their data management practices to respect consumer preferences. Businesses must also update their agreements with telecom providers to align with the new compliance framework. By adapting to these regulations, businesses can build greater consumer trust, avoid regulatory penalties, and create more effective marketing campaigns while ensuring transparency and accountability in commercial communications. Source: Financial Express