RBI asks banks to register call centres with DoT

 The central bank, in consultation with the DoT, has also decided to include banks and their own call centres under the purview of telemarketers after a review of guidelines. "The guidelines for 'telemarketers' issued by DoT, define a 'telemarketer' as any person or legal entity engaged in the activity of telemarketing (transmission of any message, through telecommunication service, for the purpose of soliciting or promoting any commercial transaction in relation to  goods, investments or services), it has been decided, in consultation with Trai, that in addition to DSAs/DMAs, banks, their call centres, who make solicitation calls, are also required to be registered as Telemarketers with DoT."

 The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TraiI)  has also specified that banks and their call centres would have to furnish details of the telephone numbers used for telemarketing.

 In July 2007, the RBI had asked banks to deploy services of telemarketers, DSAs and DMAs, with a valid regisration certificate from the DoT. Banks were also told to furnish a list of telemarketers engaged by them alongwith the registered telephone numbers being used by them to the Indian Banks' Association (IBA). IBA would forward the list to Trai.