Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today announced “The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010” to look after the unsolicited commercial calls and SMS made to over 700 million cellular  users in India.

The regulation, to be made effective from 1st of January 2010 will allow mobile phone users to completely or partially block calls or SMS as per categories divided into 7 categories.

(Image credits: World News)

Brief highlights of new DND regulation:

• Regulation will be effective from 1st January 2011
• Customers can completely block calls and SMS or choose to receive SMS from any of the 7 categories
• Customers need to call/SMS toll free number 1909 to activate service
• Service will be activated in 7 days instead of 45 days previously
• Customers already registered for DND will be automatically converted to completely blocked category
• All commercial calls and SMS will be from 10 digit number starting from 70xxxxxxxx
• As per the regulation, no commercial communications can be made between 9 PM and 9 AM.
• Regulation mandates service providers not to offer customers any SMS packs with over 100 free SMS per day.
• Telemarketers will be heavily penalized if they are found guilty violating any of the above rules

Keeping in mind the irritant customers getting bombarded with unnecessary calls and SMS, this move by the TRAI is highly appreciated, provided the systems works on a fool-proof basis.