New Delhi, Feb 14: In a major nationwide crackdown that affects mobile subscribers across the country, including Jammu & Kashmir, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued 7,31,120 notices to unregistered telemarketers in 2025 and imposed communication restrictions on more than 5.6 lakh entities for violating Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) norms.
According to TRAI’s annual update, 4,73,075 entities were subjected to one-month communication restrictions, while 89,936 repeat offenders faced extended bans of up to six months. Additionally, 1,84,482 telecom resources were disconnected during the year for continued non-compliance. Since August 2024, over 21.05 lakh telecom resources have been disconnected as part of intensified enforcement efforts.
The action comes amid rising consumer reporting of spam communications. In 2025, a total of 31.09 lakh UCC complaints were registered across various platforms. Of these, 17.06 lakh complaints—more than half—were filed through the Do Not Disturb (DND) application. DND app installations grew by 84.43% year-on-year, reaching 28.08 lakh cumulative downloads in 2025.
TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said the regulator’s enforcement efforts are focused on ensuring consumers experience “perceptible improvement” in control over unsolicited commercial communications. Increased participation through the DND ecosystem has enabled quicker identification of violations and stronger action against repeat offenders.
Monthly data indicates that complaints against unregistered telemarketers consistently formed the majority of reported cases, significantly outnumbering complaints against registered entities. This has led TRAI to intensify its focus on unauthorised operators functioning outside the regulatory framework.
The regulator has adopted a two-pronged strategy—facilitating legitimate, consent-based commercial communication through registered entities while deploying regulatory and technological tools to curb spam from unregistered senders. These measures include blockchain-based Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) registration, AI-led spam detection systems, mandatory use of designated number series, strengthened complaint mechanisms and disconnection of non-compliant telecom resources.
TRAI reiterated its commitment to protecting consumer interests and strengthening transparency in telecom services nationwide. However, it clarified that it does not provide direct consumer services, and subscribers must approach their licensed service providers for individual grievances.
