The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has achieved a major milestone by implementing a traceability framework for commercial SMS. This initiative enhances consumer safety and transparency in messaging services while reducing spam.

The framework uses blockchain-based Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to register and trace every message’s path from its origin to delivery. Principal Entities (PEs) such as banks, businesses, and government agencies have onboarded this system, ensuring secure and accountable messaging.

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TRAI mandated the traceability framework from 1 November 2024, extending compliance deadlines to 10 December 2024 to accommodate over 1.13 lakh active PEs. Collaborative efforts with regulators and Access Providers enabled smooth integration.

To minimize disruption, undeclared SMS paths were initially flagged with error codes to guide corrections. Since 11 December 2024, unregistered messages are rejected. This initiative complements TRAI’s other anti-spam measures, ensuring a safer telecom ecosystem.