Developers have come up with a cryptocurrency blockchain application that will ring the changes for millions by blocking cold callers.
A proposed blockchain ‘do not disturb’ app will maintain a central database recording the details of smartphone customers who have consented to accept telemarketing calls.
The app is in response to the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations 2018 that the Indian government is introducing and is under development by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
A similar law is due to be introduced in the UK banning cold calls, unsolicited text messages and spam emails.
The aim is for the blockchain to record all calls between telephone subscribers and commercial organisations.
Blockchain blocks pesky calls
Telemarketing companies must register with telephone providers to receive customer lists – but they will only receive the numbers when they make the calls and anyone who has failed to consent will be excluded from the list.
The blockchain ledger will list telephone users who have consented to receive the calls and keep a separate list of callers who have received messages from telemarketers. Regulators will compare the two to reveal offending telemarketing companies.
Any companies making illegal calls will face fines and other penalties from regulators.
In the UK, the government is also making company directors personally responsible for observing the cold call ban by planning to introduce fines of up to £500,000.
TRAI is also negotiating with smartphone providers to make call and text logs as part of the ‘do not disturb’ app.
Apple won’t agree to app
So far, only Apple has refused to hand over the call and message log details and is refusing to market the DND app through the Appstore.
“Blockchain will ensure two things — non- repudiative and confidentiality. Only those authorised to access details will be able to access subscriber details and only when they need to deliver service. Trai will become first organisation to implement this kind of regulation,” said Trai Chairman RS Sharma.
“A subscriber may have given consent for a service, but that consent is liable to be misused. Under the proposed regulation. The subscriber will be able to revoke consent given to entities whenever he or she desires through Trai app and other mechanism that will be provided under the regulation.”