TCCCP Regulations to go live effective from 27th September 2011

TRAI Regulations for Telemarketers:

This has reference to the regulations released by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC). These regulations were released on 1st December 2010 under the name of “The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010”. You may refer the TRAI website for details.

(www.trai.gov.in/regulations_list_year.asp).

The key highlights of the regulations are as below:

No commercial communication will be sent by telemarketer without registration under TCCCP (Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference) Regulations;
Commercial Communications shall include any message, voice or SMS,made through telecommunications service, which is transmitted for the purpose of informing about, or soliciting or promoting any commercial transaction in relation to goods, investment or services.
Existing telemarketers will also get themselves re-register under TCCCP Regulations
Registration will be online via TRAI website and National Telemarketer Register (NTR) shall be the nodal point for online registration of telemarketers
Registration shall be valid for 3 years.
Telecom resources (for wireline) used for Telemarketing activity shall :
Have a specific number range allocated 140 XXX XXXX
Shall have no incoming facility on same number
Shall be used for calling only between 0900 Hrs to 2100 Hrs
All outgoing calls on these should be scrubbed against national customer preference register(NCPR) database.

Key pointers for Telemarketers:

Fresh registration (even for existing TMs) required with TRAI as Telemarketer;
Deposit of Refundable Security Deposit of Rs. 1 Lac (DD/Cheque favoring “TATA TELESERVICES LIMITED” or “TATA TELESERVICES (MAHARASHTRA) LIMITED”;
Execution of Promotional / Transactional Agreements (Schedule IV and V)with TTSL in compliance of TCCCP regulations.
Maintaining an updated copy of National Customer Preference Register (NCPR) database and scrub all outgoing calls against the same.
No mixing of Promotional and Transactional messages on same number.
Requisite Penalty to be levied, in case of violation of TCCCP Regulations (ranging from Rs.25,000 up to Rs. 250,000) and subsequent blacklisting of the TM. This shall be deducted by service provider from the Refundable Security Deposit collected in terms of TCCCP Regulations.

The TCCCP Regulations to go live effective from 27th September 2011.Hence, In case your organization is into any Telemarketing Activity, as defined in the regulations, we hereby advice you the following: