TRAI Imposes ₹150 Crore Penalty on Telecom Operators Over Spam Call Lapses

India’s telecom regulator has stepped up enforcement against persistent spam by penalising telecom service providers that failed to properly address customer complaints and take timely action against spammers. 

The move underscores the regulator’s growing focus on accountability within telecom networks rather than only targeting end senders. 

Penalty Imposed 

As per news reports, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has imposed financial disincentives of over ₹150 crore on telecom operators for the three-year period starting 2020.  

The penalties relate to instances where operators incorrectly closed customer complaints or failed to suspend and disconnect telecom resources used for spamming, despite regulatory requirements. Telecom companies have challenged the penalties, though enforcement actions remain in place. 

Under existing regulations, operators can face financial disincentives of up to ₹50 lakh per month per licensed service area if they fail to comply with spam-control norms.  

The penalties are not imposed merely because spam originates on their networks, but because of lapses in taking mandated corrective action once complaints are received. 

Regulatory Findings and Enforcement 

During audits of complaint handling, the regulator found numerous cases where operators had wrongly closed consumer complaints without adequate verification. Over the past year, more than 21 lakh spam connections have been disconnected and over one lakh entities have been blacklisted nationwide.  

In September 2024 alone, nearly 18.8 lakh connections were terminated and over 1,150 entities blacklisted following specific regulatory directions. 

The framework allows telecom operators to suspend or disconnect unregistered senders and even impose year-long bans across networks. However, enforcement is complaint-driven, making consumer reporting central to spam control.  

To support this, users can now file complaints through the DND app in just a few steps, without needing to pre-register DND preferences. 

Read More: TRAI Initiates Comprehensive Review of Interconnection Rules to Align with Emerging Telecom Technologies! 

Conclusion 

The penalties highlight Trai’s tougher stance on spam, shifting responsibility squarely onto telecom operators to actively monitor and act on misuse of their networks. With relaxed complaint timelines, stricter action thresholds, and mandated numbering and message-format rules, the regulator aims to curb spam more effectively-making operators accountable partners in protecting consumers from unwanted calls and messages. 

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