TRAI clarified that the new bulk SMS regulations won’t delay OTPs from 01 December 2024
A post featuring a video of a man and a woman discussing that from 01 December 2024, OTP (One-Time Password) messages may face delays due to new TRAI regulations on bulk SMS is being widely shared across social media platforms (here, here, here, and here). The claim further suggests that OTPs will be delayed because they will undergo verification before delivery to prevent fraudsters and scammers from engaging in phishing and spam. In this article, we fact-check the accuracy of the claim made in the post.
Claim: From 01 December 2024, OTP (One-Time Password) messages may face delays due to new TRAI regulations on bulk SMS.
Fact: On 28 November 2024, TRAI issued a clarification stating that the news is false and confirmed that its new message traceability guidelines, effective from 1 December 2024, would not cause any delays in OTP delivery. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To verify the veracity of the viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search. This search led us to multiple news reports (here, here, here, and here) stating that OTPs could face delays after 01 December 2024 due to TRAI’s new traceability guidelines. According to these reports, users may experience delays in receiving OTPs for Aadhaar, net banking, and other services. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has mandated telecom operators to trace all messages sent across the country under these new regulations.
Several media outlets reported that OTPs might face delays after 01 December 2024, sparking widespread concern among telecom users as the news went viral. On 28 November 2024, TRAI issued a clarification regarding these claims in a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, dismissing the assertions of message and OTP delays as “factually incorrect.” Reassuring the public, TRAI stated that its new message traceability guidelines would not cause any delays in OTP delivery. The telecom regulator emphasised that telecom operators would continue to provide uninterrupted services for essential transactions like OTPs while enhancing the security of messaging systems. The TRAI clarification post reads: “This is factually incorrect. TRAI has mandated the Access Providers to ensure message traceability. It will not delay the delivery of any message.”
Similarly, in response to the viral video claiming that OTPs will be delayed from 01 December 2024 due to a directive from TRAI aimed at ensuring traceability, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Government of India clarified on their official fact-check X (formerly Twitter) handle on 28 November 2024 that the news was false. They also stated that TRAI had issued a clarification on the matter. Additionally, the Department of Telecommunications also issued clarification on this issue.
TRAI’s new regulation:
In August 2024, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued guidelines to telecom operators, mandating the tracking the origin of commercial messages and OTPs to combat fraud, spam, and phishing. TRAI’s message traceability regulation requires all messages sent by telecom companies to be traceable, preventing the misuse of messaging systems for phishing and spam. These new traceability rules aim to make it more difficult for scammers to send fake OTPs and other fraudulent messages. By identifying the source of a message, telecom operators can take steps to block malicious messages and protect consumers from harm (here).
Originally, TRAI had set the compliance deadline for 1 November 2024; however, it was extended to 30 November 2024 to allow time for technical upgrades and declarations by Principal Entities and Telemarketers. Recently, TRAI confirmed that access providers have already deployed the necessary infrastructure to comply with the guidelines. The additional time was granted to ensure a smooth transition without affecting critical services. The telecom regulator also reassured the public that these measures would not compromise the speed or reliability of OTP-based transactions (here).
Notably, TRAI’s message traceability guidelines are part of a series of recent initiatives aimed at enhancing cybersecurity and reducing spam. Earlier this year, TRAI introduced penalties for unauthorised promotional calls, including the disconnection of telecom resources and blacklisting offenders for up to two years. In fact, according to TRAI, these measures have yielded significant results, with complaints about spam calls decreasing by 20% between August and October 2024 (here).
To sum up, TRAI clarified that the new regulations on bulk SMS effective from 01 December 2024 will not cause delays in receiving OTPs.