Mon Jan 20 03:00:00 UTC 2025: ## TRAI Tightens Spam Regulations Using Blockchain Technology

**New Delhi, January 20, 2025** – The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is implementing stricter regulations to combat the rising tide of spam calls and messages, leveraging blockchain technology to enhance traceability and accountability. TRAI chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti announced the use of distributed ledger technology (DLT) to register customer spam preferences, significantly improving the effectiveness of the existing Do-Not-Disturb (DND) registry.

The initiative builds upon the 2018 Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR), which introduced a DND app and SMS reporting system. However, persistent spam led to further measures, including mandating blockchain use by telecom companies to maintain a constantly updated list of approved SMS senders. This ensures immutability and prevents unauthorized access.

While the 2018 regulations required blockchain implementation, 2024 updates focused on message traceability, closing loopholes that allowed fraudulent messages despite existing safeguards. Further tightening of these rules is planned for the coming year.

Despite the improvements, challenges remain. Spam continues to evolve, with fraudulent calls and international VoIP-based spam proving difficult to counter. To address this, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) launched the Sanchar Saathi portal with a reporting site, Chakshu, and a Telecom Security Operation Centre to monitor suspicious traffic. Telcos are also employing AI to identify and label suspected spam calls.

The TRAI’s blockchain-based approach is considered one of the world’s most stringent anti-spam measures, demonstrating a proactive response to the ongoing challenge of unsolicited commercial communications in the digital age. The success of this strategy will depend on continued vigilance and collaboration between regulatory bodies, telecom operators, and law enforcement.

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