TRAI cuts security deposit, registration fee of telemarketers

The Telecom regulator Tuesday said it was halving registration fees and security deposit of telemarketers with the service provider in order to encourage telemarketers register with it.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference (Fourteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2013 to this effect which will come into force after 30 days.

In a statement, TRAI said that since the banks and insurance companies are compulsorily mandating their dealers and agents for registration as a telemarketer with TRAI, they have requested for reduction in the registration fee and the initial security deposit so as to motivate and provide opportunity for these small agents and dealers to register with TRAI as a telemarketer.

Under the amended regulations, the registration period is extended from three to five years. The existing registered telemarketers can renew their registration by paying a renewal fee of Rs.5,000.

The registration fee has been reduced from Rs.10,000 to Rs.5,000, which will be a common registration fee, without any separate customer education fee.

Besides, the initial security deposit with the service provider is reduced from Rs.100,000 to Rs.50,000.