GUWAHATI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reassured consumers that net banking and Aadhaar OTP messages will not face any delays as the new traceability rules come into effect from December 1.
The regulations, initially announced on October 1, require telecom providers to implement systems to trace the origins of bulk messages. The initiative aims to address the rising threat of cybercrime and fraudulent communication. While the original deadline was set for October 31, it was extended to November 30 due to technical challenges faced by service providers.
Recently, a video circulated on social media claiming the new system could cause delays in delivering OTPs and banking messages. In response, TRAI dismissed these claims as baseless. "This is factually incorrect. TRAI has mandated Access Providers to ensure message traceability. It will not delay the delivery of any messages," the regulator stated on social media.
Telecom giants, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, have been directed to integrate traceability mechanisms into their systems. This technology will allow authorities to identify the origins of bulk SMS traffic and take action against fraudulent operators.
While telecom providers initially expressed concerns over the complexity of implementing such systems, TRAI has emphasised that these measures will not affect the speed of message delivery.
TRAI has also introduced penalties for offenders, such as the disconnection of telecom resources and blacklisting for up to two years. Offenders will also be restricted from obtaining new telecom resources during the penalty period.