The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has launched a pilot project to develop a digital‑consent management system to address the rising issue of spam calls, focusing on validating the operational, technical and regulatory components of the enhanced Consent Registration Function (CRF).
In collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), TRAI has engaged select banks and telecom operators to test this framework within a regulatory sandbox, prioritising the banking sector due to the sensitivity of banking transactions and cases of financial fraud through spam calls. The project aims to establish a scalable digital‑consent ecosystem across various sectors.
TRAI has observed a surge in spam complaints, often from businesses claiming consumer consent for commercial communications, typically based on prior transactions. However, such consent is frequently obtained through offline or unverifiable means, making it challenging to verify its validity.
TRAI noted, “In many cases these consents were collected through offline or unverifiable means, making it extremely difficult to ascertain their validity and genuineness. In several instances consumers report that their mobile numbers have been acquired by the entities for this purpose through misrepresentation, deception or unauthorised data‑sharing practices.”
Halt on Spam Calls
To combat this, TRAI has implemented several measures, including allowing telecom users to file complaints against unregistered telemarketers and disconnecting services used for spamming. Last year TRAI, in collaboration with the telecom department, blocked 1 crore mobile connections linked to financial fraud.
Additionally, TRAI initiated a project to create a secure interoperable digital‑consent register managed by telecom operators to digitise consent and onboard businesses sending commercial messages.
In February 2025 TRAI amended the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (TCCCPR), introducing fines of up to ₹ 10 lakh for non‑compliant carriers to curb spam calls. Following feedback from telecom operators, TRAI relaxed its deadlines in March 2025. The regulator emphasised that the pilot aligns with its goal of protecting consumer interests and enhancing trust in legitimate commercial communications.
TRAI stated, “This pilot, running under a regulatory‑sandbox framework, will validate the operational, technical and regulatory aspects of the enhanced CRF and lay the foundation for sector‑wise scaling of the digital‑consent ecosystem.” TRAI remains committed to working with sectoral regulators and stakeholders to foster secure, transparent and consumer‑centric practices.
