
Develop digital platform for customers' consent for promotional calls, sms: TRAI
The Hindu
At present, there is no unified system to show consent of customers for getting promotional messages
In order to curb the menace of pesky calls and sms, telecom regulator TRAI has directed service providers to develop a unified digital platform in two months to seek, maintain and revoke customers' consent for promotional calls and messages.
In the first phase, only subscribers will be able to initiate the process to register their consent for receiving promotional calls and sms, and later, business entities will be able to reach out to customers to seek their consent to receive promotional messages, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said in a statement on Saturday.
"TRAI has now issued a direction to all the access providers to develop and deploy the Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) facility for creating a unified platform and process to register customers' consent digitally across all service providers and principal entities," TRAI said.
At present, there is no unified system to show consent of customers for getting promotional messages.
"Considering the volume of work involved, TRAI has allocated two months time to develop such facilities by all Access Providers and thereafter implement it in a phased manner. This direction has been issued by TRAI under its Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations, 2018," TRAI said.
Under the prevalent system, consent is obtained and maintained by the various principal entities such as banks, other financial institutions, insurance companies, trading companies, business entities, real estate companies etc.
The absence of a unified digital platform makes it impossible for the telecom operators to check veracity of consents.

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