TRAI To Roll Out Updated DND App To Combat Spam Calls & Messages

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is planning to launch an updated version of its do not disturb (DND) app to help reduce spam for smartphone users.

According to a report by ET, TRAI chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said the updated app will be released within two months, following discussions with stakeholders on the technical feasibility of new features.

The spam call report will be sent to the service provider, which will take action to block the callers. It also needs to be checked if the updated DND app can block these calls technically.

The current version of the DND app lets users set preferences for receiving commercial messages. Users can also report spam calls, but the service providers take action based on Trai’s rules for commercial communications. The app helps control unwanted commercial messages from registered telemarketers.

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Lahoti said , “The intention is to make it user-friendly… the experience should be good, and it should become the preferred app for DND registration, also adding that additional functionalities that can be built in, such as reporting and blocking spam calls, need to be examined, Prima facie, it’s a good idea (blocking spam calls), but it has to be technically examined,”.

Earlier this year, the telecom regulator also urged the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to take strong action against unwanted messages on apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.

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In September, following TRAI's instructions, telecom operators blacklisted 50 entities for spamming users. In August, TRAI issued strict orders to telecom companies, requiring them to immediately stop promotional voice calls from unregistered senders.

About DND App

The DND app, launched in 2016, has had several updates as Trai strengthened rules against spam calls. However, the app has not gained much popularity among mobile users. The latest update added a spam detection engine (for SMS only) to help users report spam.

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