COAI calls on DOCA to notify rules to rein in spam calls, messages
DOCA) to quickly notify guidelines by using its powers under Section 18 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, to expedite stringent action against individuals/entities bombarding ordinary consumers with unsolicited and unwarranted business communications (UBC).
“The DOCA guidelines, once issued, will cover all sources of UBC – whether through the telecom service provider channel or the OTT Communication channel — and will provide complete protection to the consumers at large,” the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi), said in an official statement Thursday.
The telecom sector lobby body said the present Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation, 2018 (TCCCPR), formulated under the TRAI Act, 1997, is an “incomplete and therefore ineffective solution,” as there are several entities in the ecosystem that are responsible for the UBC that are outside the telecom regulator’s jurisdiction.
“The TCCCPR imposes obligations on TSPs to address this menace by directing them to disconnect connections of users who are the source of such communication. This is a reactive approach that does not fix the issue at its root, and therefore, the system continues to be misused by such users through continued innovative approaches,” COAI director general S P Kochhar said in a letter to Nidhi Khare, secretary, department of consumer affairs.
Leadership
Building Your Winning Startup Team: Key Strategies for Success
By — Dr. Anu
