New Delhi | August 5, 2026
The Government of India has intensified its crackdown on Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC), taking action against 183,000 telecom resources and blacklisting 263 entities during the first quarter of FY 2026–27 to curb spam calls and promotional messages.
The Ministry of Communications said the enforcement measures are aimed at reducing unwanted commercial calls and SMS while strengthening consumer protection across the country’s telecom networks.
Strong Action Against Repeat Violators
According to the ministry, repeat offenders faced multiple enforcement measures, including:
- Suspension of outgoing telecom services.
- Long-term disconnection of telecom connections.
- Blacklisting of senders across all telecom operators.
- Blocking of SMS headers used for promotional messaging.
The government said these actions are intended to prevent persistent spam callers from exploiting telecom networks.
10.85 Lakh Complaints Filed
During the April–June quarter:
- 730.82 billion calls were made across India’s telecom networks.
- 1.085 million complaints related to unsolicited commercial communications were received.
This translates to approximately 1.5 complaints for every one million calls, according to official data.
AI Helping Detect Spam Calls and Messages
The ministry said Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing a key role in identifying suspicious communications.
During the quarter, AI-powered systems detected:
- 24.43 billion suspected spam calls and SMS messages.
The technology helps consumers identify potentially fraudulent or promotional communications, allowing them to decide whether to ignore or respond to such calls and messages.
Over 243,000 Warning Notices Issued
To improve compliance, the government also issued warning notices to suspected violators.
Within just one week of launching the warning system:
- More than 243,000 warning messages were sent to telecom senders suspected of violating UCC regulations.
TRAI DND App Becomes the Primary Complaint Platform
According to the ministry, the TRAI Do Not Disturb (DND) App has become the most widely used platform for reporting spam.
Nearly 89% of all complaints during the quarter were filed through the app.
Consumers can also:
- Register or modify DND preferences via their telecom operator’s website or mobile app.
- Call or send an SMS to 1909 to activate or update their DND preferences.
Over 1.12 Billion Users Yet to Register DND Preferences
The government revealed that more than 1.12 billion mobile subscribers have not yet registered their Do Not Disturb (DND) preferences.
Such users remain eligible to receive promotional calls and messages from registered telemarketers and businesses.
The ministry urged consumers who wish to reduce spam communications to register their DND preferences.
Billions of Promotional Communications Blocked
The DND framework has already shown significant results.
According to official figures:
- 1.48 billion promotional calls were blocked.
- 7.30 billion promotional SMS messages were prevented from reaching users.
The ministry said this demonstrates that consumer communication preferences are being effectively enforced.
Authorized Promotional Communication Continues
Despite the restrictions, legitimate commercial communication remains active through authorized channels.
During the first quarter:
- 13.16 billion promotional calls were delivered.
- 248.06 billion commercial SMS messages were sent through approved telecom channels.
Understanding the 140 and 1600 Number Series
To help consumers distinguish between different types of calls, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced dedicated numbering series.
140 Series
Calls originating from the 140 series are used for promotional and telemarketing purposes.
These calls are placed only after checking customers’ DND preferences, allowing users to identify promotional communications more easily.
1600 Series
The 1600 series has been reserved for important service and transactional calls from:
- Banks
- Financial institutions
- Insurance companies
- Government departments
This helps consumers quickly recognize official and service-related calls.
Government Urges Consumers to Activate DND
The Ministry of Communications has advised mobile users who wish to avoid unwanted promotional calls and messages to register their communication preferences through the DND registry.
Officials said broader consumer participation will further strengthen efforts to reduce spam and improve the overall telecom experience.
