New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has tightened its framework to curb unsolicited commercial communications (UCC), introducing AI-based detection of suspected spam and bringing automated calls under a formal regulatory framework, PTI reported on Friday.
Under the amended framework, telecom service providers will identify numbers with a high probability of being used to send spam and share the information with other operators. PTI reported that if five or more numbers linked to a sender are flagged within 10 days, further investigation and graded action can follow.
The measures can include KYC re-verification, physical verification, barring of outgoing services and, in cases of repeated violations, disconnection.
The move comes as TRAI expands the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in its efforts to identify and act against unsolicited commercial communications. In February, the regulator issued a direction for institutionalising AI/ML-based UCC_Detect intelligence, including inter-operator sharing and regulatory action against suspected UCC senders.
Automated calls brought under the framework
A key change reported by PTI is the formal treatment of Application-to-Person (A2P) calls.
TRAI's framework defines A2P calls as calls initiated by an application, software system or automated platform without direct human dialling. This includes autodialling, robocalls and calls using pre-recorded or artificial voices.
Entities using A2P calls will have to declare their use and the numbers involved to their telecom service provider in advance. According to the framework cited by PTI, an A2P call made without such a declaration can be treated as UCC.
The provision is aimed at addressing the use of ordinary person-to-person (P2P) voice routes for large-scale automated calling. TRAI's March 2026 consultation had identified the misuse of such routes for bulk A2P calls as a regulatory concern.
Up to 5 paise per minute for A2P calls
The framework also introduces a termination charge of up to 5 paise per minute for specified A2P calls, with exemptions.
TRAI had proposed the charge in its March consultation as a deterrent against the misuse of regular voice networks for bulk automated calls. The regulator said bulk callers could otherwise use routes designed for normal P2P communication to make unsolicited A2P calls at scale.
The consultation proposed exemptions for certain regulated commercial-call number series and authorised calls. The final provisions reported by PTI include similar exemptions.
The issue had also been debated during TRAI's consultation process. Reliance Jio, in its submission to TRAI, argued that the proposed 5-paise-per-minute charge might not be sufficiently deterrent and suggested a higher charge.
Consumers get an appeal mechanism
The amended framework also strengthens the complaint process by giving consumers an avenue to appeal against the outcome of UCC complaints.
The consultation process had proposed a consumer appeal within 15 days, with appeals to be considered by a senior-level appellate authority within the telecom provider. Stakeholder submissions to TRAI subsequently discussed the scope and functioning of this mechanism.
The change gives consumers another level of review where they believe a spam complaint has not been dealt with appropriately.
Safeguards for headers and call-management apps
TRAI has also strengthened provisions concerning the misuse of registered headers and content templates used for commercial communications.
According to PTI, the revised framework prohibits call-management applications from blanket-blocking, filtering or spam-tagging calls from designated 140xx, 1600xx and 1601xx number series.
The issue has been part of a wider debate over how verified commercial calls should be identified without allowing legitimate communications to be incorrectly labelled as spam. Industry submissions during TRAI's consultation included differing views on the role of call-management applications and the regulator's proposed restrictions.
From complaint-based action to AI-assisted enforcement
The latest measures represent a broader shift in how TRAI is approaching unsolicited commercial communication.
The regulator has been moving beyond a system primarily dependent on individual consumer complaints towards a combination of network-level intelligence, AI-based detection, inter-operator information sharing and graded enforcement.
TRAI's February 2026 direction formally established the framework for sharing AI/ML-based UCC detection intelligence between telecom operators and taking regulatory action against suspected senders.
The addition of automated voice calls to this framework addresses another part of the spam problem: communications generated at scale by software rather than manually dialled by individuals.
The practical impact will depend on how telecom providers implement the detection and verification mechanisms, particularly in distinguishing unsolicited automated calls from legitimate commercial, service and transactional communications.
(With inputs from PTI | TRAI | Mint | TRAI stakeholder submissions)
