TRAI asks telcos to take written consent of users on VAS

NEW DELHI: Telecom regulator TRAI on Monday directed the operators to see explicit consent from users who have subscribed value added services (VAS) such as call ring back tone and hello tunes through writing for preventing accidental activation of such services.

The Authority is of the view that there could be chances of accidental activation of VAS through this (pressing of a key to express consent) method. Operators will now have to convey to the customer in writing or through SMS or FAX or e-mail, all the details of the offer of a value added service.

The accidental activation of such VAS through Out-Bound- Dialer (OBD) call could happen without understanding the implications of such offer leading to subscription to chargeable VAS, TRAI said.

TRAI feels the system pressing a button to get a service activated is not a sound method as children at home, could have unintentionally pressed a particular key. There may also be possibilities that a customer may not have listened to the announcements fully or did not understand the offer and pressed a particular key unintentionally, thereby activating the service, it said.