India’s telecom regulator is taking a stronger stand against spam calls and messages.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced that its Do Not Disturb (DND) app will soon include a new appeals feature.
This will allow users to escalate complaints if they are not satisfied with how their telecom operator handled the issue.
TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said the feature is already in development and will be launched soon.
What’s New in the DND App?
Until now, users could report spam calls and messages through the DND app.
But if they felt the telecom company did not take proper action, there was no easy way to challenge the response.
That is about to change.
The new appeals mechanism will allow users to:
Escalate unresolved spam complaints
Demand better accountability from telecom operators
Track how their complaint is being handled
This move aims to make the complaint system more transparent and effective.
The DND and MySpeed apps have also been completely rebuilt after almost a decade.
They were first launched in 2016–17.
The revamp reflects changes in technology, user habits, and the rapid growth of digital connectivity in India.
Spam Complaints Are Rising
Spam continues to be a major issue.
In 2025 alone, TRAI received 3.1 million complaints related to unwanted commercial communications.
Out of these, more than 1.7 million complaints were filed through the DND app.
This makes the app the biggest channel for reporting spam in the country.
To strengthen enforcement, TRAI has expanded complaint coverage to include unregistered telemarketers (UTMs).
This regulatory change, introduced in 2025, has made it easier to track and act against spam sources.
Strict Action Against Repeat Offenders
TRAI has introduced tough rules to deal with violators.
If five different users complain about the same sender:
The sender’s outgoing services are blocked for 15 days across all linked numbers.
For repeat violations:
All telecom resources can be disconnected for up to one year.
The entity can be blacklisted across operators.
So far, TRAI has:
Issued over 7.3 lakh notices to unregistered telemarketers
Restricted 4.7 lakh entities for one month
Imposed six-month communication caps on nearly 90,000 repeat offenders
Disconnected around 1.84 lakh telecom resources
Most of these actions were linked to unregistered telemarketers.
More Changes Coming Soon
TRAI is also planning to relaunch its MyCall app by March.
The updated app will allow users to report:
Call drops
Muted calls
Voice distortion
With these upgrades, TRAI is trying to give consumers more control and stronger protection against poor service and spam.
For mobile users tired of unwanted calls and messages, these changes could bring real relief.
