TRAI Strengthens Digital Consent Framework: Partners with RBI and Banks

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has observed a substantial number of spam-related complaints from consumers. Notably, many of these complaints are directed at business entities from whom consumers had previously purchased goods or services. When probed, these entities often claim to possess valid consumer consent for sending promotional messages and calls. 

Gaps in Offline Consent Collection 

Under the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018, entities are permitted to send commercial communications to consumers—even those on the Do Not Disturb (DND) list—provided they have obtained explicit consent. However, TRAI has found that in many instances, such consents are gathered through offline or unverifiable channels. This makes validation difficult and opens the door to misuse. In several cases, consumers allege their mobile numbers were acquired through deception, misrepresentation, or unauthorised data-sharing. 

TRAI’s Regulatory Interventions 

TRAI has implemented multiple regulatory measures in recent years to address unsolicited communications. Key initiatives include: 

• Allowing consumers to report spam from Unregistered Telemarketers (UTMs) even without DND registration.
• Conducting large-scale disconnections of telecom resources found to be misused for spamming. 

Despite these actions, verifying offline consent remains a major challenge, prompting the need for a more secure and auditable consent framework. 

Digital Consent Registry: A Forward-Looking Solution 

To address this, TRAI’s regulations mandate that consents be: 

• Acquired digitally by business entities.
• Recorded in a secure, interoperable Digital Consent Registry maintained by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). 

This registry allows for seamless verification of consent at the time of initiating commercial communication. However, its effective functioning depends on the active onboarding of all entities involved in sending such messages. 

Pilot Project in Collaboration with RBI and Banks 

To operationalise this digital framework, TRAI has launched a Pilot Project in collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), involving select banks. On 13th June 2025, TRAI issued a direction to all TSPs, mandating their participation in this pilot with banking institutions. 

Given the sensitive nature of banking communications and the rising incidence of financial fraud through spam calls, the banking sector has been prioritised for the first phase of implementation. 

Also Read: Starlink vs Reliance Jio vs Airtel Xstream: Which Broadband is Saving Your Pocket? 

Regulatory Sandbox Approach 

The pilot is being conducted under a Regulatory Sandbox model, allowing for real-time evaluation of: 

• Operational readiness
• Technical integration
• Compliance with regulatory requirements 

This initiative aims to test and refine the Consent Registration Function (CRF) before scaling it across other sectors. 

Conclusion 

TRAI remains steadfast in its mission to protect consumer interests and enhance trust in commercial communications. Through continued engagement with sectoral regulators, TSPs, and other stakeholders, TRAI aims to build a more secure, transparent, and consumer-friendly ecosystem for digital communication. 

Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. This does not constitute a personal recommendation/investment advice. It does not aim to influence any individual or entity to make investment decisions. Recipients should conduct their own research and assessments to form an independent opinion about investment decisions.