TRAI 100 SMS per day limit comes into effect

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has imposed the restriction of 100 SMS/ day per SIM from today (27.09.2011) to prevent pesky marketing SMS.

After the TRAI’s announcement on 100 SMS a day limit , GSM Operator’s body Cellular Operators Association ofIndia (COAI) has asked TRAI to reconsider its recommendation regarding the 100 SMS/Day limit, claiming that such a regulation may pose a potentialchallenge to the “Fundamental Rights” of an ordinary subscriber.

But Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has decided to stick to its decision to cap short messaging system (SMS) to 100 per day per SIM for all subscribers, so Free SMS in any form will be limited to 100 SMS per day and no more.

India’s largest Mobile Service operators Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communication are thefirst mover who have implemented the new SMS rule.They have also send notification SMS to their subscribers in various telecom circles about the the new TRAI’s rule which sets a cap at 100 SMSs per day.

Bharti Airtel in its routine prior notification SMS to its subscribers cites “As per TRAI Regulation Your Current SMS Pack benefits have been revisedeffective today. You can now send maximum 100 SMS/Day."

Please Note that the Limit of 100 SMS/day will not be applicable on “SMS Blackout Days” or festive occasions, when the subscriber is free to send as many messages he wants as normal or premium SMS rates as well as non SMS Pack users.

The list of excluded providers include, Dealers of the Telecom Service Providers and DTH Operators for sending request for electronic recharge on mobile numbers, e-ticketing agencies for responding to e-ticketing request made by its customers, The social networking sites like Facebook,Twitter, Orkut, LinkedInand GooglePlus based on their verifiable options, Agencies providing directory services likeJustdial, Zatse, Callezee, Getit and Askme. However it is not clear that if banks who sends the details of the customer’s transaction, are excluded from this list.

The customers can send more than 100 SMS / day per SIM on the blackout days such as New Year, Pongal, Diwali and Christmas.

Advantages of 100 sms CAP

Now you won’t receive annoying marketing sms’s like“Buy SONA SLIM BELT”or“Buy CHEAP luxury FLATS in Noida”.

You wont receive SMS’s  from unknown numbers as the SMS plans may go expensive now.

You can still send more than 100 Sms per day on Blackout days or in the days notified by TRAI.

Disadvantages

This will definitely hurt the students who generally depends on SMS chatting for communication with their friends.

This may also be worse when we need an urgent SOS message to be sent and our limit has exhausted.

Free SMS vouchers may become expensive.

Although personally, I have not been affected with this cap placed on SMS, but many of you may get effected. Please do comment whether the TRAI has taken a good step by limiting per day SMS, or they have to think somewhat else to stop the SMS spams by the product marketers and should have removed this limitation.