Five million users say call-me-not
Within five days of the launch of the National Do-Not-Call (NDNC) registry, over 5 million mobile users have registered to rid themselves of the menace of hounding telemarketers.
By Joji Thomas Philip, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Mobile subscribers are dialling in large numbers to stop the pesky calls from telemarketers eager to peddle everything under the sun.
Within five days of the launch of the National Do-Not-Call (NDNC) registry, over 5 million mobile users have registered to rid themselves of the menace of hounding telemarketers.
Some industry experts feel that the number of mobile users using the registry will cross 10 crore by the year-end. This would mean that close to 50% of India’s over-200 million cellphone subscribers will soon be out of bounds for telemarketers.
“The fact that over 50 lakh subscribers have registered within five days is proof that there is a widespread feeling, especially among urban users, that telemarketers were encroaching on the private space of cellphone users,” TRAI chairman Nripendra Misra told ET.
When asked as to how many people were likely to register with the NDNC registry, Mr Misra said, “Some estimates say 50 million subscribers, mostly from the metros and towns, will enrol themselves soon.”
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He added that about 14,000 of the estimated 25,000 telemarketers in India had registered with their telecom operators and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The NDNC’s success has also made Trai think of taking it to the next level, where one can opt for a blanket ban on all telemarketing calls, or select the kind of calls he wants to receive.TRAI sources also confirmed that in the last two days, the regulator had received complaints that the websites of some operators did not provide the options to register online.
“I have personally checked the websites of all operators. Now, they all seem ready. Consumers can also register their numbers directly on www.ndncregistry.com. Even the option of registering via SMS seems to be in place, we did a few tests today,” Mr Misra added.
In June, TRAI had issued regulations on unsolicited commercial communication, which mandated that the NDNC registry be operational from September 1. It is estimated that over 10 billion unsolicited telemarketing calls are made in India every year.
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Though TRAI had mandated that all telemarketers must register themselves with the DoT within 3 months (by September 1), sources in the regulator are of the view that over 10,000 small telemarketing firms are yet to do so. Telemarketers who violate the norms and call those registered with the NDNC, are fined Rs 500/minute the first time, a higher tariff the second time, while a third instance results in disconnection of the telephone line. Industry experts say that with the NDNC kicking in, the domestic telemarketing sector will witness a 25% slowdown in hiring turnover growth and also the number of calls. Many small firms are also likely to shut shop and the sector will also witness many rounds of consolidation, industry players said.
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