Block your unwanted mobile Telemarketing Calls by sending SMS to 1909

Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India (TRAI)’s issuance of “The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010” can be regarded as a more convenient approach towards providing mobile subscribers the choice to selectively choose telemarketing services.

The new guidelines set by TRAI was supposed to be effective on February 1, 2011. The initial deadline of January 1 was extended by a month. Now TRAI has further pushed it to March 1. This allows customers to either completely block or choose telemarketing calls from predefined seven categories.

You can set your preferences via Voice call, via IVRS and also through SMS. Here we look at how to register, deregister and change your preferences for telemarketing calls, through SMS.

Registration Your Tele Marketing Preference through SMS

You can set your preferences via SMS by sending an SMS to 1909. Follow the instructions given below carefully to completely block or partially allow tele marketing calls.

To avail the fully blocked option which blocks all seven categories, you have to send SMS START 0 to 1909

For registering to partially blocked option, you have to send an SMS in the format given below:

1. Send START 1 for receiving SMS relating to Banking/Insurance/Financial products/credit cards

2. Send START 2 for receiving SMS relating to Real Estate

3. Send START 3 for receiving SMS relating to Education

4. Send START 4 for receiving SMS relating to Health

5. Send START 5 for receiving SMS relating to Consumer goods and automobiles

6. Send START 6 for receiving SMS relating to Communication/Broadcasting/Entertainment/IT

7. Send START 7 for receiving SMS relating to Tourism and Leisure

You can also register to get telemarketing calls from more than one category by sending a single SMS. You need to include your preferred category numbers coma separated.

For example, if you want calls from Education and Health, you have to send an SMS in the format START 3, 4

When your options are received at the other end, the Access Provider will send you an SMS, asking for your confirmation. When you reply, the Access Provider will register your preference and will send a final SMS notifying the success of registration along with your unique registration number.

Done.

If you are sending an SMS like “START 0,2,3” with 0 (zero) included, the SMS will be treated as fully blocked.

Changing preference through SMS


Here we will show you how to change your already registered preferences with your new preference options.

1. You can stop existing options by sending an SMS STOP, followed by the preference number. For eg, if you want to stop the education related telemarketing calls, send STOP 3 to 1909.

2. If you want a new option to your existing options, you can send an SMS START, followed by your preference number. Eg, You can send an SMS “START 3” to start receiving calls from Education telemarketing agents.

3. After you send SMS to your Access Provider, you will get an SMS asking for your confirmation. When you reply, your preferences will get registered.

4. You also get an SMS indicating that your preferences are registered. This SMS will also have your unique registration number

Done.

De-Registration of preference through SMS

To deregister from the National Customer Preference Register, send “STOP” to 1909. You will then get a deregistration confirmation request via SMS. Once you confirm, the Access Provider will activate your option and inform you through SMS.