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Key Takeways
In India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has implemented the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platform to regulate and monitor commercial communications, aiming to curb unsolicited messages and enhance transparency.
DLT registration is a mandate for any business wanting to send SMS in India. As of December 1, 2024, new regulations have been introduced to further strengthen this framework.
Step-by-Step Guide to DLT Registration in India:
- Select a DLT Portal: Begin by choosing a telecom operator's DLT platform for registration. Registration on one platform is recognized across all. Here are some options:
- Jio: https://trueconnect.jio.com/
- Airtel: https://dltconnect.airtel.in/
- Vodafone Idea (Vi): https://www.vilpower.in/
- BSNL: https://www.ucc-bsnl.co.in/
- MTNL: https://www.ucc-mtnl.in/Infobip
- Register as a Principal Entity (PE): Sign up as a Principal Entity on the chosen DLT portal. You'll need to provide:
- Business Details: Name, address, and type of organization.
- Authorized Signatory Information: Name, designation, and contact details.
- Documents:
- PAN Card of the business.
- Certificate of Incorporation or GST Certificate.
- Letter of Authorization on company letterhead.
- ID proof of the authorized signatory.
- Proof of address.
- Complete KYC Verification: Upload the necessary documents for Know Your Customer (KYC) verification. The verification process typically takes 1-3 working days. Upon approval, you'll receive a unique Entity ID.
- Register Headers (Sender IDs): Post approval, register your Sender IDs, known as Headers. Headers are alphanumeric strings representing your brand in SMS communications. They are categorized as:
- Promotional: Used for marketing messages; typically numeric.
- Transactional: Used for essential information like OTPs; typically alphabetic.
- Service (Implicit and Explicit): For informational messages; can be alphabetic or numeric.
- Register Content Templates: All message content must be pre-registered and approved to ensure compliance. Templates should include fixed content and variables for dynamic information. For example:
- "Dear {#var#}, your OTP is {#var#}. Valid for 10 minutes." Ensure templates adhere to TRAI guidelines to avoid rejections.
- "Dear {#var#}, your OTP is {#var#}. Valid for 10 minutes." Ensure templates adhere to TRAI guidelines to avoid rejections.
You can also refer to our guide on DLT content templates for a detailed coverage on this topic.
- Obtain Customer Consent: Before sending promotional messages, secure explicit consent from recipients. The opt in text messaging and consent records should be maintained and may need to be uploaded to the DLT platform.
- Associate with Telemarketers: Link your Entity ID with registered aggregators like Message Central who will facilitate the delivery of your messages. This association ensures compliance and smooth message transmission.
- Start Messaging: After completing the above steps and receiving necessary approvals, you can commence sending messages through your chosen platform, ensuring adherence to registered headers and templates.
Recent Updates
TRAI has introduced additional measures to enhance the security and traceability of commercial communications:-
- PE-TM Linkage: Effective December 1, 2024, the PE-TM (Principal Entity–Telemarketer) chain has been introduced to ensure the traceability of SMS communications. This mechanism links Principal Entities (PEs) with Telemarketers (TMs) to prevent spam and the misuse of SMS headers and templates.
- Content Scrutiny: Telecom operators are now required to review and verify the headers and content templates registered on the DLT portal to ensure compliance with regulations.
OTP SMS Authentication with Message Central
Message Central is a CPaaS platform providing authentication and communication solutions to businesses. You can use Message Central to enable OTP verification without any DLT registration in India.
You will be using Message Central’s DLT approved template and can customize the same for your brand name.
You can simply signup for free and get started.
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