Trai extends deadline for traceability mandate on OTPs to December 1

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has extended the deadline for implementing a traceability requirement on commercial messages, including one-time passwords (OTPs), to December 1, 2024. This mandate aims to prevent the misuse of messaging services for spam and phishing, according to a report by The Economic Times.

Trai’s decision to extend the deadline followed concerns raised by telecom operators about potential service disruptions. Telecom companies warned that enforcing the traceability rule from November 1 could lead to large-scale message blockages, as many businesses, including banks and telemarketers, are not yet technically prepared for the changes.