Highlights

• Mobile users in India may face issues with receiving OTPs due to new TRAI spam policy regulations.
• It could impact transactions and deliveries starting November 1.
• Telecom providers must register companies sending OTPs.
• The transition to new regulations could take until early 2025.

OTPs have become the backbone of online transactions in recent years. However,  Mobile users in India might soon face issues with receiving crucial OTPs for bank transactions and online deliveries starting November 1.

Without OTPs, payments can’t be authorised and online orders can’t be picked up, creating a chaotic situation.

According to recent media reports, mobile operators may struggle to authorize these third-party messages after October 31 if the revised spam policy from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) isn’t in place.

A recent Economic Times report suggests that the new TRAI regulations require telecom providers to register companies that send OTPs and other essential information.

The rules also mandate blocking SMS messages containing URLs or Android APK files that could contain malware, as such links have previously enabled hackers to steal personal data and money from unsuspecting users.

To comply, telecom providers must assign each message a new template format to pass strict spam checks.

These templates need to include any URLs and phone numbers that are frequently used by services like banks, food delivery platforms and ride-share apps.

Messages that don’t meet these criteria or aren’t whitelisted could be blocked entirely.

The policy affects headers in SMS messages, which function like subject lines for banks, payment operators and other services like Zomato or Uber. The messages will be scanned to ensure no harmful commercial messages get through.

Although TRAI has granted multiple extensions to telecom companies to comply with these new rules, recent reports suggest some companies still haven’t fully adopted the regulations.

The transition reportedly could take until early 2025 to avoid disruptions for millions of mobile users if the rollout is delayed after November.

FAQs

Q1. What issues might mobile users in India face starting November 1?

Answer. Mobile users in India might soon face issues with receiving crucial OTPs for bank transactions and online deliveries starting November 1.

Q2. What new regulations do the TRAI rules require from telecom providers?

Answer. The new TRAI regulations require telecom providers to register companies that send OTPs and other essential information and mandate blocking SMS messages containing URLs or Android APK files that could contain malware.

Q3. What challenges do telecom providers face with the new TRAI policy?

Answer. Telecom providers must assign each message a new template format to pass strict spam checks, which include URLs and phone numbers frequently used by services like banks, food delivery platforms, and ride-share apps.

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