TRAI convenes 9th Joint Committee of Regulators (JCoR) on issues of Spam and Cyber Fraud

Ministry of Communications TRAI convenes 9th Joint Committee of Regulators (JCoR) on issues of Spam and Cyber Fraud Pilot for Digital Consent Acquisition on track, major push for 1600-series call adoption, mandatory whitelisting of all URLs, OTT links, APKs, and callback numbers sent in SMSes, Blacklisting of entities and Enhanced PE-End Security Measure Posted On: 16 OCT 2025 6:09PM by PIB Delhi The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today convened the 9th Meeting of the Joint Committee of Regulators (JCoR) at TRAI Headquarters, New Delhi. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), along with officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MoCA), and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). A session was also held with industry representatives wherein discussion was held with Google, Meta, GSMA, and COAI on various initiatives aimed at enhancing consumer empowerment, trust and safeguarding users against spam and fraudulent activities perpetrated through digital communication channels. The JCoR Committee reviewed the progress of pilot project for Digital Consent Acquisition, being implemented at 11 (eleven) nominated banks, and jointly piloted by TRAI and RBI. The pilot project is progressing satisfactorily and expected to be completed by February 2026. The committee also reviewed the implementation status of key decisions taken during the 8th JCoR meeting held on 22nd July 2025 and deliberated on new agenda items including the deadline for implementation of the 1600-series numbering plan, misuse of shortened URLs, mandatory whitelisting of URLs/OTT links/APKs/callback numbers sent in SMSes, and publication of details of blacklisted entities. The discussions focused on regulatory and technical measures to strengthen consumer protection and enhance the integrity of the digital communication ecosystem. Key Outcomes of the Deliberations - The committee agreed on completing the pilot of Digital Consent Acquisition by February 2026 with step-wise milestones. - The Committee agreed on a phased sunset timeline for migration to the 1600-series numbering plan in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sectors. Sectoral regulators assured their support to the agreed timelines. - The Committee also discussed differential treatment for small-scale financial/business entities from 1600 series mandate. TRAI will issue necessary Directions in this regard. - Members emphasized the need for mandatory whitelisting of all URLs, OTT links, APKs, and callback numbers used in commercial communication. TRAI apprised the members about its drive to contain misuse of these resources by tagging these links in the approved SMS templates which require close support from other members. Members assured their wholehearted support for the exercise. - The Committee discussed that TRAI and TSPs may consider publishing the list of entities blacklisted for spamming activities on their respective websites. This will act as an additional deterrent for errant entities. - The Committee deliberated on TRAI’s draft Direction mandating enhanced PE-end security measures, including real-time credential validation, CAPTCHA enforcement for OTP systems etc. TRAI requested members support to ensure the implementation of these security measures. “In a digitally connected economy, collaboration among regulators of digital services, financial services, consumer protection and law enforcement agencies is paramount. The Joint Committee of Regulators (JCoR) continues to serve as a vital collaborative platform for orderly use of digital connectivity and action against spam and cyber fraud. The committee is also engaging with industry representatives as they are important stakeholders. Today’s decisions reflect our shared commitment to building a secure and transparent digital communication ecosystem,” said Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI. **** Samrat/Allen (Release ID: 2180011)