MTNL,BSNL seek more time to go for system barring pesky calls

According to TRAI's regulation, every service provider by needs to update list of customers registered in 'National Customer Preference Register' (NCPR) to ensure that subscribers do not receive unsolicited commercial calls.

"We need minimum of three months time to get our network ready for this ( TRAI's regulation)," MTNL Chairman and Managing Director Kuldeep Singh told PTI.
BSNL has informed TRAI that it will need a minimum nine months to upgrade its network, a source said.

A query sent through e-mail to the BSNL's chairman and managing director remained unanswered.

"They (BSNL and MTNL) have said that they need to come out with tenders which will need time. They have said that government rules bind them to go for tender for any procurement," a TRAI official, who did not wish to be named, told PTI.

Service providers will have to filter all voice calls received through telecom resources allocated to the telemarketers to ensure that no commercial voice call is made to any subscriber, registered with the NCPR.

To develop this capability, service providers need to make technical changes in their existing networks.

The number of subscribers registered in NCPR crossed 100 million mark in 10 days of starting this service.

Singh mentioned that MTNL will continue registration of customers in NCPR but for upgrading network the company will have to evaluate business case as it has very less telemarketers registered with it.

"We will call for expression of interest and see the cost of upgrading network," Singh said.

Singh indicated that MTNL may even stop telemarketers registration with it as the company has very less telemarketers using its services.

"We will see the estimates from tenders. If we don't find commensurate with our business then we might not do it," Singh said. MTNL will float tender for upgrading network within next 15 days.

TRAI has come up with Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010, to curb the menace of pesky calls and SMSes. The regulator is firm to implement the regulation by March 1, 2011.