Auto Trader Zone: TRAI Extends NCPR Deadline to March 1st, 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

TRAI Extends NCPR Deadline to March 1st, 2011

We earlier shared the new TRAI policy on spam SMS, which is all set to create chaos among consumers (do read/contribute in this discussion). There is no solution in the market as to how all the e-commerce and other web businesses communicate with their audience.
Even Facebook has messaged its users to de-register from DND (Do Not Disturb) registry (they could have have asked its customers to register for only category 6 of NCPR which covers -Communication/ Broadcasting/ Entertainment/ IT by sending an SMS “Start 6” to 1909, but then given the timeline, opting out of DND is probably the only way to receive these messages).

TRAI has however extended the deadline to Feb 10th March 1st (pdf).

Having regard to security audit of the website to be created for the purpose of these regulations and other processes involved, the principal regulations were amended on 14th December, 2010 and subsequently amended on 28th December 2010. As per these amendments, the telemarketer’s registration had to start from 15th January, 2011 and other operational provisions were required to be implemented from 1st
February, 2011. The telemarketer’s registration has already commenced from 15th January 2011.

On 31st January, 2011, DoT has communicated a fresh numbering series beginning with the number ‘140’ in place of ‘70’ number series. Communicating the same to all the Access Providers and carrying out the required changes would require time. Therefore, The Authority is compelled to change the date of implementation of operationalization of the ‘Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010’ to 1st March 2011.
At the same time, it is possible to go ahead with the registration of customer preferences. The regulation provides that the customer preferences would be effective within seven days. The Authority has, therefore, decided to start Customer preference registrations from 10th February 2011, so as to take the process forward.

Do you think NCPR will solve the real issue?