DoT for Rs 10,000 fine on every call, SMS by pesky callers after 50 violations

New Delhi: The Department of Telecom has proposed to further tighten the noose on pesky callers by imposing a Rs 10,000 penalty for every call and SMS made by telemarketers after 50 violations, according to an official source.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has proposed to make the norms more stringent by reducing the slabs for levying penalty to Rs 1,000 per violation for 0-10 breaches, Rs 5,000 each for 10-50 violations and Rs 10,000 each for more than 50 violations. The slabs under the present Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018 are 0-100, 100-1,000 and more than 1,000 violations. Besides, the DoT's Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) will check violations at the device-level as well.

The DIU will send a system generated message to suspected numbers for verification.

"In case of non re-verification, all those numbers will be disconnected and associated IMEIs will be put under suspected list. No calls, SMS or data will be allowed for the IMEIs in suspected list for a period of 30 days," the source said.

Any communication made by pesky callers from a new connection using the device with IMEI number recorded in the grey list will be asked for re-verification. If the pesky caller thereafter changes the device, the IMEI number of the new device will also be put in the suspected list by the system until the re-verification gets completed. If the pesky caller's number is activated after re-verification and is again found to be violating norms, then usage of the new connection will be capped to 20 calls and 20 SMSes per day for six months.

"In case the violation continues thereafter, then identity and address proof used for buying telecom connections will be blocked for a period of 2 years," the source said.

DCC clears satellite connectivity for telecom networks; Rs 19,041 cr BharatNet tender

Telecom department's apex body the Digital Communications Commission (DCC) has cleared a provision of using satellite connectivity in telecom networks to provide services in remote areas where it is difficult to lay optical fibre network, a senior official said on Monday.

Telecom Secretary Anshu Prakash said that the DCC has also cleared the Request for Proposal for the rollout of BharatNet project for broadband services in villages in 16 states in public private partnership mode with viability gap funding of Rs 19,041 crore.