Telecom companies have been fined for failing to control spam calls. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has imposed penalties on BSNL, Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, and some smaller firms.
According to a report by Economic Times, the latest fine amounts to Rs 12 crore. Including previously imposed fines, the total now reaches Rs 141 crore.
These penalties were issued under the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR). TRAI is also focusing on further strengthening TCCCPR guidelines.
What did the companies say in their defense?
Telecom companies argue that they cannot be solely held accountable for addressing spam calls.
In a recent meeting, they urged that over-the-top (OTT) platforms like WhatsApp, as well as banks, financial institutions, and telemarketers, should also share responsibility.
The companies emphasized that excluding these platforms from regulations makes it impossible to completely eliminate spam and scam calls, as they are not currently addressed in the existing laws.
Companies said- we tried
During the meeting, telecom companies stated that they have invested significant effort and resources to combat spam calls.
They argued that they should not be penalized for the mistakes of other companies and telemarketers. Citing this reasoning, the companies have not yet paid the imposed fines.
Preparation for Encashment of Bank Guarantee
TRAI has sent a letter to the Department of Telecommunications, requesting them to encash the bank guarantees of the companies that have failed to pay the fine.
However, the department has not taken any action on this matter so far. It is important to note that companies deposit significant amounts with the government as bank guarantees.
