(Economic Times via NewsEdge) India will soon launch a 'do-not-call' registry where subscribers can list their telephone numbers to avoid telemarketing calls and text messages.
Initiating a consultation process on the issue, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said this was essential as unsolicited commercial calls 'disturbed a large number of subscribers by forcing them to respond, invading their privacy.'
TRAI cited the growing dissatisfaction among consumers on this issue, and said the exercise was aimed at reducing the bulk of unsolicited commercial communications. These include telemarketing calls, SMSs, or other commercial or marketing messages.
'It is essential to maintain the privacy and reduce the inconvenience to subscribers who do not wish to receive such calls or messages, yet not ban the activity of telemarketing itself,' TRAI chairman Nripendra Misra said.
The telecom industry has welcomed the proposal.
'Operators are victims of unsolicited calls. We need to examine the ways and means of controlling these calls. We will co-operate with the regulator in finding a solution for this problem,' TV Ramachandran, director general, Cellular Operators' Association of India said.
TRAI said it has no intention of banning telemarketing, adding the process was only aimed at reducing the number of telemarketing calls to people who do not wish to get them.
The regulator has also sought public comments on who should be responsible for stopping telemarketing calls, the service providers or telemarketers, and what type of penalties should be imposed on do-not-call violators.
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