Indian Mobile Users to Benefit from New OTP Delivery Measures Starting August 31

On Friday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) announced a one-month extension for access service providers to comply with its recent directive on whitelisting URLs, APKs, and OTT links. This extension provides a temporary reprieve for issues related to OTPs for bank transactions and app logins, which had been a concern for many users.

What TRAI’s Directive Entails

TRAI had previously instructed major telecom operators in India to regulate messages containing URLs, OTT links, APK files, and phone numbers, ensuring that only whitelisted items are transmitted by September 1. This measure aims to combat spam and phishing attempts, which have been increasingly prevalent through SMS services. Under the revised directive, access service providers are now required to submit an updated status report on the actions taken within 15 days. They must also provide a full compliance report within 30 days from the issuance of the directive.

The new deadline mandates that starting October 1, all access providers must ensure that traffic containing URLs, APKs, or OTT links not on the whitelist is blocked. This measure is designed to improve the security and efficiency of the telecom ecosystem by preventing the misuse of messaging services.

Implications for Service Providers and Users

The extension gives service providers additional time to implement the necessary changes, addressing concerns about the operational impact of the new rules. The revised timeline for implementing call-back numbers will be communicated separately, in response to issues raised by access providers.

Earlier, on August 20, the Centre had instructed access service providers to take concrete measures to prevent the misuse of messaging services. From September 1, it was mandated that messages containing URLs, APKs, OTT links, or call-back numbers not on the whitelist should not be transmitted. TRAI has also introduced punitive measures for non-compliance, including blacklisting content templates registered under incorrect categories and suspending services for repeated offenses.

Moving Forward

TRAI emphasized that any revocation of traffic from a sender would only occur after legal action is taken by the sender against misuse. The regulatory body aims to ensure a more secure telecom environment by enforcing these new guidelines.