Telecom Dept Disconnects Over 3.4 Crore Mobile Connections, Blocks 17 Lakh WhatsApp Accounts
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The central government has taken significant action to curb telecom fraud, with over 3.4 crore mobile phones disconnected and 3.19 lakh IMEI numbers blocked through the Sanchar Sath portal. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has also utilized advanced technology to combat fraudulent activity, blocking 16.97 lakh WhatsApp accounts using artificial intelligence and big data.
In a written response in the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, revealed that more than 20,000 bulk SMS senders have been blacklisted under the government's 'Sanchar Sathi initiative.' The portal allows citizens to report suspected fraudulent communications, aided by the 'Chakshu' feature.
The DoT investigates complaints of fraud, blocking numbers deemed to be involved in fraudulent activities. By leveraging crowd-sourced data, the department enhances its investigation process, preventing the misuse of telecom resources. AI-based tools and big data analysis help identify mobile connections registered with fake documents.
Additionally, the DoT and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have created a new system to detect international spoof calls that appear to be originating from India but are actually from abroad. This system allows for real-time identification and blocking of such calls.
Telecom providers have blacklisted 1,150 entities and disconnected over 18.8 lakh resources. These efforts have reduced complaints against unregistered telemarketers (UTMs) from 1,89,419 in August 2024 to 1,34,821 in January 2025.
To further address the issue, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) amended the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018. Customers now have seven days, up from three, to lodge complaints about spam or unsolicited commercial communication (UCC). Moreover, the time frame for telecom providers to act against UCC senders has been reduced from 30 days to five days, with stricter action criteria in place to ensure swift responses.
