Starting October 1, telecom services are set to improve significantly as two new rules introduced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) come into effect.
According to CNBC-Awaaz’s Aseem Manchanda, these changes will help reduce call drops and unwanted calls, making telecom services more reliable for consumers.
Changes in Regulations
After a decade, TRAI is updating its quality of service rules. Under the new guidelines:
Fines for Poor Service: Telecom companies could face fines ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹10 lakh for inadequate service quality. If the quality of service fails to meet standards, companies may be penalized with fines of up to ₹1 lakh.
Unwanted Calls Filter: Telecom providers will be required to activate filters to block unwanted calls. Companies that continue to make such calls could be blacklisted for two years.
These changes aim to enhance user convenience by providing clearer information about the services offered in different areas.
Consumers will no longer have to struggle to determine the network availability in their locations, as telecom companies will now publish this information on their websites.
User Empowerment and Transparency
These regulations will be mandatory for all telecom companies, including Airtel, Jio, and VI. As a result, users will have the ability to choose networks based on their specific needs.
With minimal effort, individuals can easily identify which services are available in their area—be it 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G.
Potential Impact on OTPs
One important change under the new rules is the introduction of a ‘Whitelist’ for sending messages.
Only companies included in this whitelist will be able to send messages, which may affect the delivery of OTPs (One-Time Passwords).
As of now, approximately 3,000 companies have been whitelisted, and 70,000 message templates are included in this list.
Consequently, messages from companies not on the whitelist may be blocked, potentially disrupting OTP notifications for users.
With these updates, consumers can expect a more efficient and user-friendly telecom experience starting tomorrow.
