TRAI warns of stringent action against nuisance calls

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) yesterday said if pesky calls or messages were sent through individual numbers then notice would be served to the customers while the number would be disconnected on second violation.

"As per the regulations, if unsolicited commercial calls and SMSes are sent from individual numbers, notice will be served to the customer and his number will be disconnected on second violation," TRAI said in a statement.

TRAI said, 1,122 subscribers had been issued notices while 111 subscribers had been disconnected. It added, in case of telemarketers, 17 of them have been penalised.

Registered subscribers can lodge complaints against pesky calls or messages by dialling or sending SMS to 1909.

Last month, the government had introduced a regulation barring unwanted commercial calls and messages that disturbed mobile subscribers. The regulation provided for levy of huge penalties on the defaulters, including fines ranging from Rs25,000 to Rs250,000.

To ensure that the telemarketing firms were readily identifiable, the regulation also provided that their phone numbers begin with '140'.

However, while this had an effect for a couple of weeks, customers have reported that the nuisance messages were back again. Reports say many of the messages were generated online.