TRAI seeks IT Act powers to crack down on Truecaller, Hiya over spam tagging of business calls. TRAI asks for enforcement powers under the Information Technology (IT) Act to take action against caller identification applications such as Truecaller. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has sought greater enforcement powers under the Information Technology (IT) Act to take action against caller identification applications such as Truecaller, Hiya and Whoscall for allegedly marking legitimate business calls as spam. TRAI asks for IT Act powers from Ministry to crack down on Truecaller. The move comes as the telecom regulator raises concerns over official business numbers, including those beginning with the 1400 and 1600 series, being incorrectly flagged or blocked by these platforms. According to TRAI, such mislabelling disrupts communication between businesses, financial institutions, healthcare providers, government agencies and the public. Officials have warned that if legitimate calls continue to be flagged, businesses may increasingly shift to using regular mobile numbers to reach customers. Such a trend, TRAI believes, could undermine ongoing efforts to curb spam calls and make it more difficult for consumers to distinguish genuine calls from fraudulent ones. India has stepped up efforts to combat spam and scam calls in recent years, with millions of consumers receiving unsolicited or fraudulent calls every day. While caller identification apps play an important role in helping users identify suspicious callers, TRAI argues that legitimate organisations also require dependable communication channels for critical customer and public service outreach. The regulator's proposal aims to strike a balance between consumer protection and business communication by introducing greater accountability for digital caller identification platforms without compromising users' ability to detect fraudulent calls. At present, TRAI cannot take direct action against apps such as Truecaller because they fall outside the jurisdiction of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and are governed under a different regulatory framework. The regulator has therefore sought powers to initiate action for violations under the IT Act rather than regulate the applications directly. While Truecaller has maintained that it complies with applicable regulations, TRAI officials have argued that the absence of enforcement powers limits the regulator's ability to address repeated instances of incorrect call labelling. According to officials, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) have agreed in principle to TRAI's proposal. However, a final decision on granting the regulator additional powers is still awaited.

Telecom news: Netcracker Technology, Hiya, Vodafone, Reliance Jio, BSNL. March 19, 2026 Today's telecom news includes announcements on Netcracker Technology, Hiya, Vodafone, Reliance Jio, BSNL, among others. Netcracker Powers BICS into the Future with Major OSS Upgrade Milestone Netcracker Technology has reached a significant milestone in its OSS modernization program with BICS, marking a key step in their long-standing partnership. The upgrade enhances the stability, security and long-term support of BICS' core OSS platform, which underpins critical services such as roaming, messaging, voice, 5G, IoT and data connectivity. The project includes a full upgrade of OSS components like service management, resource inventory and network planning, strengthening the foundation of BICS' global connectivity operations. Trusted Calls, No More Guesswork: Hiya & Vodafone Transform UK Caller Identity Hiya has partnered with Vodafone to roll out Branded Calling across the UK, extending verified caller identity to nearly 100 percent of mobile subscribers. The service displays a business's verified name on incoming calls, helping users distinguish legitimate calls from spam or fraud. This move addresses growing consumer distrust, as a large share of unknown calls go unanswered due to scam concerns. Built on network APIs and global CAMARA standards, the solution enhances transparency while aligning with regulatory requirements, marking a significant expansion of secure and trusted voice services across the UK telecom market. Reliance Jio Moves Closer to Mega IPO with Imminent Filing Plans Reliance Industries is preparing to file a draft red herring prospectus for the IPO of its telecom unit, Jio Platforms, as early as the end of March 2026, according to a Bloomberg News report cited by Reuters. The move signals accelerating progress toward one of India's most anticipated stock market listings. While the report has not been independently verified, it highlights Reliance's intent to push forward with the offering in the coming months. India Enters Global Telecom Elite with Homegrown 4G Breakthrough India has developed its own indigenous 4G telecom stack for state-run BSNL, placing the country among a select group of nations capable of designing and manufacturing such advanced technology, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said. The fully home-grown system reflects India's push for technological self-reliance and reduced dependence on foreign vendors. Built under the "Make in India" initiative, the stack is expected to strengthen domestic telecom infrastructure and support future upgrades to 5G. SHAFANA FAZAL