TRAI amends guidelines on value-added telecom services

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued fresh guidelines to all access service providers, including BSNL and MTNL, amending an earlier direction on provision of value-added services.

This amended direction provides for an "alternative procedure to customer originated call, SMS, interactive session to a specified number or request made in writing or by fax or by e-mail" for obtaining the explicit consent of the customer for subscribing to value added services.

Under the amended procedure, subscribers can confirm their choice by pressing a key other than '*' (star) and the '9' key to select the choice of the song and express interest to subscribe to the service.

A reconfirmation of subscription to the value-added service can be by pressing '*' and the '9' key in the case of subscription through OBD calls and pressing of two key, '*' (star) and '9' key, instead of only one key like '*'(star) key as in the case of "Press Star to Copy Hello Tune", for subscription through copy tune facility.

"The alternative procedure of double confirmation process provided in the amendment would not only obviate multistage activation process and resultant delay in the provision of value-added services to the customers but also protect the customers against unintended or accidental activation of such value added services" an official release said.

The amendment also mandates the service providers to intimate the subscriber, at least three days before the due date of renewal of a subscribed value added service, the due date for renewal, the charges for renewal and the toll-free telephone number for un-subscribing of such value added service.