Regulators
TRAI disconnects 21 lakh telecom resources in 2025 spam crackdown
Regulator issues 7.3 lakh notices, drives surge in consumer complaints
NATIONAL: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has escalated its campaign against spam calls and messages, disconnecting telecom resources at scale and tightening penalties on repeat offenders.
According to its 2025 enforcement report, the regulator issued 7,31,120 notices to unregistered telemarketers during the year, signalling a tougher stance on Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC).
Penalties rose sharply for those who failed to comply. Around 4,73,075 entities faced one-month communication bans, while 89,936 repeat offenders were barred for six months. A further 1,84,482 telecom resources were disconnected entirely. Since August 2024, the cumulative number of disconnected resources has crossed 21.05 lakh, effectively dismantling large parts of persistent spam networks.
Consumer reporting played a central role in the crackdown. In 2025, users registered 31.09 lakh UCC complaints, with more than half, 17.06 lakh, filed via the Do Not Disturb (DND) app. App adoption surged, with installations rising 84.43 per cent year-on-year to 28.08 lakh, up from 15.22 lakh in 2024.
Trai chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti, said the focus was not only punitive action but a “perceptible improvement” in consumer experience. He said the regulator was pursuing a two-track approach: enabling legitimate, consent-based communication through registered channels while deploying AI-led spam detection and distributed ledger technology to identify and eliminate rogue operators.
Trai noted that unregistered telemarketers account for the overwhelming majority of UCC complaints, reinforcing the regulator’s view that stricter enforcement against non-compliant players is key to restoring consumer trust in telecom communications.
I&B Ministry
Digital radio, D2M tech set to reshape broadcasting and public messaging
Govt pushes next-gen delivery while TRAI tightens grip on spam ecosystem
NEW DELHI: India’s broadcasting and telecom landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant upgrade, with digital radio and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technologies emerging as powerful tools for mass communication, while regulators step up efforts to tackle spam calls.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, digital radio and D2M are poised to transform how content reaches audiences by making more efficient use of spectrum. In simple terms, multiple channels can now be delivered over a single frequency, opening the door to a wider range of free-to-air content.
D2M technology takes this a step further by enabling video, audio and data to be broadcast directly to mobile handsets without relying on SIM cards or mobile data. The result is a resilient and cost-effective data pipe that can deliver everything from entertainment and education to critical emergency alerts, even in low-connectivity scenarios.
At the same time, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is tightening its grip on unsolicited commercial communication, better known as spam calls. The regulator has deployed a distributed ledger technology platform to bring transparency and accountability into the system.
Through this blockchain-based setup, consumers can register their preferences on receiving promotional messages, while businesses and telemarketers must also sign up and operate within defined rules. The platform also includes a complaint mechanism that allows users to report spam, with complaints shared across telecom operators for coordinated action.
The government’s broader push is being supported by infrastructure upgrades under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the initiative focuses on modernising networks such as Akashvani and Doordarshan, including digitisation and adoption of next-generation broadcast equipment.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan said these steps are part of a larger effort to promote emerging technologies and strengthen the country’s broadcasting backbone. The response came to a query raised by member of Parliament Rao Rajendra Singh.
Together, these developments point to a dual-track strategy: expanding access to reliable, low-cost content while cleaning up the communication ecosystem. As digital pipes get smarter and spam filters sharper, India’s airwaves may soon feel a lot less noisy and far more useful.
