RECOMMENDATION OF TRAI (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended that telecom users should be aware of the legal name of anyone calling them.

Recommendation of TRAI

• Regulator's Recommendation on CNAP Implementation: The TRAI has recommended the implementation of Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) on Indian telecom networks, enabling phones to display a caller's identity based on KYC registration data.
• Consideration by Department of Telecommunications: The recommendation will undergo consideration by the Department of Telecommunications, which sought TRAI's insights on the matter, indicating a significant step in potential policy changes.
• Subscriber Opt-In and Privacy Concerns: If implemented, subscribers would have the option to see the registered name for every calling number, contingent upon their opt-in to the service. However, concerns over privacy tradeoffs have been raised, particularly regarding informational privacy.
• Lack of Opt-Out Provision and Potential Risks: TRAI's recommendations do not include provisions for telecom users to opt out of caller identification, potentially raising concerns over user control and susceptibility to identity theft or spamming.
• Privacy Advocacy and Legal Perspectives: Entities like the Internet Freedom Foundation and Reliance Jio have highlighted concerns about privacy infringements and emphasized the need for consent in sharing personal data, aligning with prevailing jurisprudence on the matter.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

• About: It is a regulatory body set up by the Government of India under section 3 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.
• Aim: To regulate telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services which were earlier vested in the Central Government.
• Establishment: In 1997
• Composition: Chairperson, two whole-time members and two part-time members, all of which are appointed by the Government of India.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Communications and Broadcasting
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Tenure: 3 years or till the age of 65 years