November 29,2024 - The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reassured the public that starting 1 December, 2024 there will be no delays in delivering essential OTP messages for Net Banking and Aadhaar services.

This statement comes after misinformation on social media suggested possible delays. TRAI clarified that the new rules being implemented aim to track the origin of bulk messages and will not affect the speed of OTP delivery.

New Rules to Fight Fraud

To tackle cybercrimes like fake calls and fraudulent messages, TRAI introduced new rules on 1 October 2024. These rules require telecom companies to trace where bulk messages originate from. This process, called "message traceability," helps identify and stop fraudsters.

The original deadline for telecom companies to implement this system was 31 October. However, due to technical challenges, the deadline was extended to 30 November.

Improved Spam Control

In addition to message traceability, TRAI introduced strict penalties on 13 August 2024 to reduce unauthorised promotional calls. Penalties include:

• Disconnection of telecom services.

• Blacklisting offenders for up to two years.

• Restrictions on getting new telecom services during this period.

Positive Results

These measures have shown positive results. Spam complaints decreased steadily:

• August 2024: 1.89 lakh complaints.

• September 2024: 1.63 lakh complaints (13% drop).

• October 2024: 1.51 lakh complaints (20% drop compared to August).

TRAI assured that despite technical challenges faced by telecom operators, the timely delivery of OTPs will not be disrupted. This ensures uninterrupted access to essential services like banking and Aadhaar.