Blocking pesky calls will take 1.5 years: COAI

New Delhi : Telecom operators will need more than 18 months to block pesky calls by fully implementing the amended regulations on unwarranted commercial calls and messages, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) said on Friday.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has set a six-month deadline ending on December 16 for implementing the new regulations.

According to Rajan S. Mathews, Director General of COAI, the cost involved in the process would be Rs 200-400 crore. The association would put forward their concerns to the regulator.

"It's going to take a minimum of a year and a half… by the time it's tested, verified and ready," Mathews said during an interaction with the media.

Talking of blockchain or the distributed ledger technology prescribed by TRAI to identify and block unsolicited communication, he said the technology is totally new for the industry and even the likely providers such as IBM and Microsoft are not too sure of its viability.

However, he said there are only a few companies including IBM and Microsoft who can come out with the required technology and processes.

Talking of the impact on tariffs due to the high investments, Mathews said prices would largely depend on the market dynamics, but in normal economic sense such investments are likely to place a burden on the consumers.