Implementation of Message Traceabilityfor safe SMS service

Implementation of Message Traceabilityfor safe SMS service

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has taken several measures to ensure the safe transmission of text messages including the measure to ensure complete tracing of senders of commercial messages.

To enhance message traceability, TRAI issued Direction on 20^th August 2024 and mandated that all commercial messages from senders to recipients must be traceable from 1^st November 2024. In compliance of these Directions, all Access Providers have since deployed the required technical solutions. However, to provide a transition time for technical upgrades, and chain declaration by senders of commercial messages i.e. Principal Entities (PEs) and Telemarketers (TMs), TRAI, vide its Direction dated 28^th October 2024, extended the deadlineup to 30^th November 2024.

For creating awareness, communications were sent to various Sector Regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA and IRDAI), Central & State government Departments and other organizations by TRAI requesting them to sensitize the PEs under their jurisdiction for early compliance  withthe regulations. In addition,  webinarswere arranged by TRAI in association with the Access Providers which were attended by representatives of entities such as PEs, TMs, Central & State Government departments, Sector Regulators and Industry associations. For direct engagementwith PE &TMs , additional webinars, email communications and interactive sessions were arranged by the Access providers.

As a result of these efforts, more than twenty-seven thousand PEs have already registered their chains with the respective Access Providers and further registration is in progress at a rapid pace. Access Providers have sent and are continuing to send warning notices to all PEs and TMs who have not yet implemented necessary changes. 

Hence the Authority after assessing the progress of PE-TM chain declaration,  inconsideration of the request from access provider/COAI  and  in partial modification of its earlier Direction dated 28^th October,  2024, has directed Access Providers to ensure PE-TM chain declaration by all PEs & TMs latest by10^th December , 2024, and continue issuing the warning to the PEs &TMs who default on PE-TM chain binding on daily basis. With effect from 11^thDecember 2024, any traffic (messages) where the chain of Telemarketers is not defined or does not match with pre-defined chain shall be rejected.PEs and TMs are  again advised to expedite the declaration of chains on priority as any message that fails to adhere to the traceability regulation will be rejected with effect from 11^th of December 2024.