India’s telecom operator TRAI has issued new guidelines for the activation of services which integrate telecom operator billing, and are activated over Mobile Internet, SMS, USSD and Voice Portals (IVRS). This part of the ecosystem has a history of millions of unsuspecting customers being scammed, with money being withdrawn from their prepaid mobile accounts, and allegations of corruption have been rife. We’d covered the details of the new policy here. Here’s how the activation will take place as per different modes:
Consumer originated SMS
(a) service provider originated voice or non -voice message and USSD offering value added service;and
(b) consumer originated voice or non -voice message and USSD to a short code:
Step-1. The offer provided by the service provider shall contain the details of value added service and the charges thereof and in case of call or SMS or USSD from the consumer for value added service, the service provider shall inform the consumer the details of the value added service and applicable charges.
Step-2. If the consumer gives his consent to subscribe the value added service after step 1, the consumer must be informed through SMS about the value added service requested and the charges of the service. He should then be asked to confirm the request within sixty minutes by sending ‘yes’ to the specified number.
Step-3. If no confirmation is received from the consumer, the request of the consumer shall not be processed.
Step-4. If the consumer confirms his request, the value added service platform/subscription engine of the service provider shall activate the value added service on the mobile number of the consumer and the consent logs should be stored in the system in an editable format.
Step-5. The subscription of the value added service should again be acknowledged through Short Message Service (SMS) immediately after activation of the service, indicating the charges and details of the value added service such as name of the value added service, monthly fixed charge, content download charge and its recurring charge,validity period of the value added service activated, toll free short code 155223 for unsubscribing the value added service.
Step-6. If the consumer informs the service provider that he has not given his consent for the value added service and requests for its deactivation
(a) in case of value added service which is charged on a per day basis, if the request for deactivation is made by consumer within six hours of activation
(b) in case of value added service which is charged other than per day basis, the request for deactivation is made by the consumer within twenty four hours of activation the entire amount deducted by the service provider for the value added service shall be refunded.
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Consumer originated SMS
(a) service provider originated voice or non -voice message and USSD offering value added service;and
(b) consumer originated voice or non -voice message and USSD to a short code:
Step-1. The offer provided by the service provider shall contain the details of value added service and the charges thereof and in case of call or SMS or USSD from the consumer for value added service, the service provider shall inform the consumer the details of the value added service and applicable charges.
Step-2. If the consumer gives his consent to subscribe the value added service after step 1, the consumer must be informed through SMS about the value added service requested and the charges of the service. He should then be asked to confirm the request within sixty minutes by sending ‘yes’ to the specified number.
Step-3. If no confirmation is received from the consumer, the request of the consumer shall not be processed.
Step-4. If the consumer confirms his request, the value added service platform/subscription engine of the service provider shall activate the value added service on the mobile number of the consumer and the consent logs should be stored in the system in an editable format.
Step-5. The subscription of the value added service should again be acknowledged through Short Message Service (SMS) immediately after activation of the service, indicating the charges and details of the value added service such as name of the value added service, monthly fixed charge, content download charge and its recurring charge,validity period of the value added service activated, toll free short code 155223 for unsubscribing the value added service.
Step-6. If the consumer informs the service provider that he has not given his consent for the value added service and requests for its deactivation
(a) in case of value added service which is charged on a per day basis, if the request for deactivation is made by consumer within six hours of activation
(b) in case of value added service which is charged other than per day basis, the request for deactivation is made by the consumer within twenty four hours of activation the entire amount deducted by the service provider for the value added service shall be refunded.
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