No More Unwanted Marketing Calls From January 1

Sumit Verma, a frequent business flyer and marketing executive, is one of the millions of aggrieved mobile customers who often end up paying roaming charges for unwanted telemarketing calls during his travel sojourns. Also, what adds to his woes is the inappropriate timings of these calls. So troubled by the telemarketers, a year ago he registered with the National Do Not Call Registry but obviously, his woes did not end there. Finally he reconciled to the fact that if he was keeping a phone, he had to accept the unsavory marketing calls. On December 1, 2010, he noticed a news about the new regulations which Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had issued to keep a tab on the telemarketers. The regulations showed him a silver lining in the cloud.

In a Flash

Unlike the previous regulations in 2007 which were only for a Do Not Call Registry, the new regulations seem to be more helpful to a mobile user providing him with a plethora of options. Users will have the choice to be under the fully blocked category which is, as Trai describes, akin to the Do Not Call Registry under the previous regulations. Users opting for fully blocked category will neither receive promotional calls nor messages. There is another category called the partially blocked category, under which users will receive only SMSes and no calls.

When in the partially blocked category, users shall not get any commercial calls but only SMSes. The partially blocked category is touted to be like a Do Call Registry allowing the telemarketers to reach the customers only through written texts. Users can either choose their Do Call category, or choose to be under the fully blocked category (Do not Call) or choose not to register at all, says a release from Trai.

Registration Process

According to Trai, customer registration will be effective within 7 days unlike in the past when it used to be 45 days. To register, users can call a toll free number1909 or send an SMS to 1909. Once their request is generated, they will receive a registration number. But if you are already registered with the National Do Not Call Registry, you do not need to register again and will be considered under the fully blocked category.

Do Not Breach the Line

In the event of an unsolicited commercial call to a customer who has registered for either fully blocked or partially blocked category, the defaulting telemarketers will have to pay heavy penalties. They will be fined from `25,000 for first offence to `250,000 for the sixth offence. In addition, the telemarketers can be blacklisted if they are found to be defaulting for the sixth time. Once blacklisted, they will be barred from doing telemarketing business for a period of 2 years.

Furthermore, an aggrieved mobile user can also lodge a complaint with his service provider, who is required to take an appropriate action and also inform him of the action taken against the telemarketer within 7 days.

If you get a marketing call from an unregistered number, that number owner will be warned first and face disconnection the second time.

Even banks and insurance firms can not call and can only send SMSes.

Identify a Marketing Call

Even if you do not register with Trai, you will at least be able to identify telemarketing or promotional calls, because a separate numbering series 70XXXXXXXX will be allocated to the telemarketers. Moreover, customers will not receive promotional calls and messages, even though unregistered, between 9.00 pm to 9.00 am.

Sumit Verma now awaits January 1, 2011 by when these regulations will come into effect.

Onkar Sharma
onkars@cybermedia.co.in