The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has set a September 1 deadline for telecom companies to block messages containing URLs, APKs, OTT links, and call-back numbers that are not registered. Currently, only message headers and templates are registered with telecom providers, while the content is not. Starting September 1, telcos such as Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea must verify the content of these messages, and any unregistered content will be blocked.
Telecom companies have requested an extension, citing the need to update their Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platforms, which register the message content. However, TRAI emphasized that sufficient time was given for the transition. Indian users receive an estimated 1.5 to 1.7 billion commercial messages daily, and the new mandate may affect legitimate financial notifications if they are not registered with the telcos. The DLT platforms were initially introduced in March 2021, causing disruptions in the transmission of unregistered messages, and the new rule could lead to similar issues.
