On 28 August 2024, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI) issued a consultation paper (CP) on review of the Telecom
Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018
(TCCCPR). These revisions are aimed at strengthening the framework
for curbing the growing menace of unsolicited commercial
communication (UCC) and ensuring more effective compliance.
Background and context
The TCCCPR was introduced more than 6 years ago to combat UCC
while facilitating the transmission of such communications to
targeted customers who have registered their preference or recorded
consent in the prescribed manner. Despite these regulations, the
volume of UCC has surged, prompting TRAI to release multiple
directions to strengthen the system in the recent past, including
updating the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platform and
implementing a specific 140-numbering series for promotional
calls.
