What are TRAI's traceability guidelines?

TRAI's traceability guidelines require telecom companies to trace the origin of all commercial messages, including One-Time Passwords (OTPs), to prevent the misuse of messaging systems for spam and phishing. This involves confirming the entire delivery chain for communications sent by entities like banks and e-commerce platforms.

How do these guidelines affect OTP delivery?

Service providers must ensure that OTP messages comply with registered headers and templates. While there were initial concerns about potential delays in OTP delivery due to the transition to the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) framework, TRAI has clarified that these guidelines will not delay the delivery of any messages.

Why were these guidelines introduced?

The guidelines aim to create a safer messaging ecosystem by curbing spam and fraudulent texts. By ensuring that every commercial message can be traced back to its origin, TRAI seeks to enhance transparency and protect consumers from unsolicited and potentially harmful communications.

Will there be any impact on promotional messages?

Yes, any commercial message that does not comply with the traceability requirements will be rejected. This includes messages where the sender-receiver chain is undefined or incorrect. Telecom providers have been instructed to issue daily warnings to defaulters and block non-compliant messages.

How can businesses ensure compliance with the new guidelines?

Businesses must register their headers (sender IDs) and message templates with telecom providers to comply with the DLT framework. Any message not matching the pre-registered format or sent from unregistered headers will be flagged or blocked. This process ensures that only authorized and traceable messages are delivered to consumers.

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TRAI Traceability Guidelines Start December 1: Impact On OTPs And Messaging Security

Alankar Mishra

Author

Updated: 28-01-2025 at 7:22 AM

TRAI Traceability Guidelines Start December 1: Impact On OTPs And Messaging Security

From the 1st of December 2024, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has made it mandatory to abide by the traceability frameworks to confine the volume of spam and phishing through text messages. Said regulations guarantee that every message in the form of a one-time password (OTP) or otherwise can be tracked for the measly sender and recipient, making digital communication more secure.

What Are TRAI Traceability Guidelines?

In a bid to enhance security and fight unsolicited communications, TRAI has come up with traceability guidelines for telecom service providers. Under these rules, there is enhanced responsibility in the messages sent across any networks and greater protection of consumers from any abusive forms of communication. Here’s a guideline of the principal requirements about the policies, the guidelines and the regulations:

Messages are easily traced from the sender to the receiver.
The delivery chain is also confirmed for communications done by organisations like banks, e-commerce etc.
Violations such as unconsented advertising messages are prevented.
Sufficient info is provided by the senders such as call-back numbers and URLs to the telecom operators.

How It Affects OTP Delivery

The TRAI instructions set out to improve security on the delivery of OTPs while still being efficient and dependable. Since the template is mandatory along with the best follow-up possibilities, the framework provides effective communication still very fast. Let us see how these changes impact the OTP processing:

Compliance with Templates: OTPs should only be delivered if they are in respect to the registered heads and applied templates to ease the transmission.
DLT Framework: The Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) system will serve as a medium for message tracking but TRAI says there shall be no extra time spent on OTP embedding and sending
User Impact: On the negative side though during the initial stage of the implementation, there were issues with the delays, the TRAI stressed that the sending of messages is not affected.

Why The Guidelines Are Needed

The policies provided in the TRAI are more pertinent now than ever considering the increase in spam and fraudulent messages within the current digital space. They are geared towards ensuring that users are more safe and secure by promoting various features which enhance transparency and accountability. Below is an explanation of these regulations.

To create a safer messaging ecosystem by uncontrolled spam and other unscrupulous messages.
To establish liability and transparency of information in the promotional types of messages.
To improve the level of confidence of the users in the communication systems by improving user security concerns.

Conclusion

The traceability norms established by TRAI are an important milestone in the fight against spam and phishing messages. Even while implementing these rules secures the transmission of OTPs and other sensitive messages, they help boost the efficiency of India's digital messaging systems. There may be minor changes in time as the system is put into practice but overall, this government initiative lays down a clear-cut direction for more secure telecommunication services in the country.

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