The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has said it has issued notices to 36,156 subscribers and disconnected 22769 for violating norms on unsolicited calls and SMSs since it the implementation of regulations on September 27, 2011. Apart from this, 94 telemarketers have also been penalized.

TRAI said it had issued the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010” on December 1, 2010. All the provisions of the regulations came into force from 27th September 2011.

“As per the provisions of regulations, telecom consumers who do not wish to receive unsolicited commercial call or SMSs, may register their preference(s) on National Customer Preference Register (NCPR).  As on 29th March 2012, a total of 161.66 million customers have registered their preference on NCPR”. TRAI said in a statement.

The regulator said it also monitoring and enforcing the regulations for protection of customers from unsolicited commercial calls and SMSs. As per the regulations, if Unsolicited Commercial calls and SMSs are sent from individual numbers, notice will be served to the customer and his number will be disconnected on second violation.

Registered subscribers receiving UCC may lodge their complaint by dialing or sending SMS to 1909, it said.