The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) convened the Joint Committee of Regulators (JCoR) on July 22, 2025, in New Delhi. To improve collaboration against telecom-related spam, fraud, and misuse, the meeting brought together officials from RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, MeitY, DoT, MHA, and NPCI.
Key Highlights: TRAI JCoR Meeting
Phased Migration to 1600-Series for BFSI Calls
Regulators agreed to a phased transition for banking, financial services, and insurance sectors to use dedicated 1600-series numbers for transactional and service calls. This approach accounts for the varying sizes of entities, with timelines guided by sector regulators.
Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) Pilot Launched
TRAI and RBI launched a pilot to replace offline consents with a secure digital consent system. Consumers are now able to “register, review, and revoke” their consents for commercial communications digitally through a secure, tamper-proof platform.
The pilot project brings together major banks — SBI, PNB, ICICI, HDFC, Axis Bank, Canara Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank — and eight telecom operators, with four working groups handling technical, operational, and awareness responsibilities.
Before the JCoR meeting, TRAI and RBI jointly held a workshop on July 21, 2025, with participating banks and telecom operators to discuss challenges and collaborate on moving the pilot forward.
New Enforcement Measures Against Telecom Fraud
The committee discussed automating data exchange among the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), DoT’s Digital Intelligence Platform, and telecom operators’ DLT platforms. This will enable swift action, such as disconnecting numbers used in fraud, to prevent further misuse.
Tackling Misuse of Enterprise Telecom Lines
Concerns over bulk spam sent via SIP and PRI lines were raised. Potential solutions include assigning these lines from designated number ranges and adding safeguards for responsible use.
Updated SMS Header Portal
TRAI revamped its SMS header portal (smsheader.trai.gov.in) to allow customers to identify entities sending commercial messages through specific SMS headers.
NPCI Added as Strategic Stakeholder
Recognizing the rise in mobile and UPI-linked financial fraud, NPCI has been included as a special invitee in the committee, enhancing collaboration on payments-related fraud prevention.
FRI Gains TRAI Support
TRAI Chairman Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti praised DoT’s Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI), which tags numbers linked to financial scams. He emphasized practical safeguards to deter fraud while minimizing inconvenience to legitimate businesses and called for close monitoring and speedy implementation by sectoral regulators.
Speaking at the event, TRAI Chairman Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti said:
In an increasingly digital world, cross-sector collaboration among regulators is essential for the coordinated delivery of services and protection of consumers from harm. In a digital-first economy, cooperation among financial sector regulators, digital communication authorities, and security agencies is vital. TRAI values the prompt collaboration fostered through JCoR in creating a trustworthy and safer communication environment.