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.
Read More: Indian Government To Control Telecom Networks In Emergencies
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.
Read More: Unable To Forward Your Call?
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.
Join the conversation and stay informed! Visit the Jaagruk Bharat community page here and be part of an active, engaged community.
