Starting October 1, 2024, millions of mobile users in India could face disruptions in receiving bank and delivery OTPs due to new regulations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Initially set to roll out in September, the deadline was extended to allow telecom operators more time to whitelist business messages. These OTPs play a vital role in authorizing online payments and deliveries.
Without them, users may find themselves unable to complete financial transactions or retrieve packages, highlighting the importance of TRAI’s changes.
TRAI's New SMS Rule
The telecom authority has mandated that telecommunications companies block any unapproved website URLs, OTT links, and APKs included in SMS messages. This new regulation is set to take effect on October 1, aiming to enhance the security of mobile users in India.
The details of these changes were first reported by the Economic Times in August, revealing that the new TRAI spam guidelines require telcos to authenticate companies that send OTPs and critical information. This move seeks to mitigate the risks posed by malicious links that users may inadvertently click, potentially compromising their devices and personal data.
Numerous individuals have fallen victim to these deceptive SMS messages in the country, accidentally clicking on links that allow hackers to infiltrate their devices. This oversight can lead to unauthorized access to personal data, resulting in the theft of money and other sensitive information.
What Changes Should You Expect?
Telecom companies must create a new message template that ensures readability; this is the only way for these SMS messages to pass the rigorous checks in place. Additionally, the guidelines specify that any URLs or phone numbers included in certain services must be whitelisted; otherwise, the network will block these messages.
These headers appear at the top of SMS texts, similar to a subject line, and can be from banks, payment services, or delivery platforms like Zomato and Uber. A reliable technology will be employed to verify that no commercial messages, which could pose a risk, are transmitted. Given that the deadline has already been extended multiple times, it is unlikely that TRAI will grant further extensions for these changes. Therefore, some short-term disruptions are anticipated as telecom operators scramble to implement the necessary adjustments to prevent significant chaos.