The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is soon going to initiate measures to ensure that a caller’s name flashes on the phone screen when a user receives a call. The name would be as per the know your customer (KYC) record of subscribers available with the telecom operators.
When the measure is implemented, subscribers would get to know the name of the caller even if the same is not saved in her/his phone book. Currently, some users get to know an unknown caller’s identity through apps such as Truecaller. However, the limitation of Truecaller-like apps is that the data is crowdsourced, so 100% authenticity is not assured, something which is guaranteed in KYC data.
The KYC data will also enable the authorities to verify if the service providers have conducted the process correctly or resorted to shortcuts due to which the identity of a caller may not be genuine.
Also Read| India approves ‘vostro’ accounts for nine banks to help promote trade in rupees
Later, a separate exercise on similar lines will also be done for the calls over WhatsApp. Since the messaging app is linked to SIM cards, there is a link between a user’s phone number and a WhatsApp account. A separate exercise would still be required as WhatsApp calls can also be made using computers. In such cases, the link between a SIM card and a WhatsApp account gets broken.
Sources said that the telecom regulator has brushed aside objections by some groups which had said disclosing the name of the caller without user consent would amount to invasion of privacy. However, the matter is expected to be dealt with in detail in the consultation process.
An added advantage of the mechanism of KYC name of caller displaying on the screen would be that spam and unsolicited calls could be avoided or reported to the authority for necessary action.
So far despite several measures, Trai has not been able to stop unsolicited commercial calls in an effective manner.
After completing the consultation process, Trai would submit its recommendations to the Department of Telecommunications, which would take the final decision in the matter. “A full-fledged mechanism needs to be devised to implement a set of measures which would involve the DoT, Trai and the telecom operators,” a source said.
Also read: Plan another exhibition to support MSMEs and women entrepreneurs next year: Piyush Goyal
The Trai’s consultation paper would highlight the issues and invite comments from the stakeholders after which it would hold open-house sessions across major cities before finalising its recommendations.