NEW DELHI: Over 51,000 telephone numbers of such subscribers who had not registered as telemarketers but were doing telemarketing activities have been disconnected and notices have been served on nearly 88,300 subscribers who have carried out similar violations.

The measure is to check several calls and SMSs being sent by subscribers without getting themselves registered with Trai as a telemarketer by using normal telephone connections having numbers other than the ‘140‘ number series allotted to registered telemarketers.

Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Milind Deora told Parliament that it had been noticed from the complaints‘ data received from service providers that the majority of complaints of Unsolicited Commercial Communications are sent by telecom subscribers who were not registered as a telemarketer.

‘The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010‘ is clear that no subscriber who is not registered with the TRAI as a telemarketer under these regulations can make any commercial communication. In case it is found based on verification of a complaint that the UCC was originated by a subscriber who is not registered with Trai as a telemarketer, the Originating Access Provider shall issue a notice to such subscriber to forthwith discontinue the sending of such unsolicited commercial communications and if such subscriber sends a commercial communication to any subscriber on a second occasion, disconnect the telecom resources of such subscriber.

Till 30 July this year, 88,307 notices have been sent to subscribers who have not registered as a telemarketer but were doing the telemarketing activities; and 51,181 telephone numbers of such subscribers have been disconnected.