If you are a digital marketer, an agency owner, or a business relying on SMS campaigns to drive sales, you need to stop what you are doing and read this. The “wild west” of bulk SMS marketing in India is officially over.
As of late 2025, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and TRAI have integrated the Sanchar Saathi portal directly into the commercial communication backbone. The result? A new, ruthless filtering system that is already blocking millions of “unverified” promotional messages before they even reach the customer’s phone.moneycontrol+1
The warning is clear: Verify your headers or face the blackout.
The New Rules: “Suffix” or Be Silenced
The most visible change—and the one tripping up marketers right now—is the mandatory Header Suffix rule introduced by TRAI’s 2nd Amendment to TCCCPR 2018 (effective May 2025).
Your old headers like VM-ICICIB are no longer valid. Every commercial SMS must now end with a specific 2-character code that tells the customer exactly what the message is.shreetripada+1
- -P for Promotional: Marketing offers, discounts (e.g.,
VM-ZARA-P). - -T for Transactional: OTPs, bank alerts (e.g.,
VM-HDFCBK-T). - -S for Service: Reminders, updates (e.g.,
VM-AIRTEL-S). - -G for Government: Official alerts (e.g.,
VM-GOVIND-G).
The Trap: If you send a promotional offer using a “Service” header to bypass filters (a common trick), the Sanchar Saathi AI detects the mismatch and blocks the SMS instantly.trai+1
The “Chakshu” Threat: Customers Are Now Cops
The integration of the Chakshu reporting tool into Sanchar Saathi has turned every mobile user into a compliance officer.
Previously, reporting spam was hard. Now, users can report a suspicious SMS on the Sanchar Saathi app or portal in seconds.
- The Consequence: If your sender ID gets more than 10 spam reports in a short window, Sanchar Saathi automatically triggers a “Temporary Suspension” of your DLT account.
- The Penalty: Usage caps are applied immediately. You might go from being able to send 100,000 SMS/day to just 20 SMS/day until you prove your innocence.sancharsaathi+1
The “160 Series” Mandate: The End of Local Calls for Business
Are you using a regular 10-digit mobile number to call customers for leads? Stop immediately.
The new regulations mandate that all commercial business calls must come from the “160” number series (e.g., 1600-XXX-XXXX).
- The Crackdown: Sanchar Saathi’s algorithms are now flagging standard 10-digit numbers making high-volume outbound calls as “Suspected Spam.”
- The Risk: If your sales team’s personal numbers get flagged, they will be labeled “Fraud/Spam” on every customer’s screen, killing your pick-up rates instantly.sancharsaathi+1
What Marketers Must Do TODAY
If you want your campaigns to survive 2025, follow this checklist immediately:
- Audit Your Headers: Ensure all your SMS headers have the correct suffix (-P, -T, -S). Update them on your DLT portal (Jio, Airtel, Vi, etc.) immediately.smsalert+1
- Scrub Your Templates: Remove any vague language that could trigger the AI fraud filter. Stick strictly to your approved DLT templates.
- Migrate to 160: Move your telesales team to a cloud telephony system using the 160-series number range to look legitimate and avoid blocking.
- Monitor Your Reputation: Regularly check your brand name on the Chakshu portal or third-party spam databases to see if you are being flagged.
Conclusion: Adapt or Disappear
The era of “spray and pray” SMS marketing is dead. Sanchar Saathi has built a digital wall around the Indian consumer. Only those who play by the rules—and verify every single message—will get through.
For legitimate brands, this is good news: less spam means higher trust. For the spammers? It’s game over.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the new SMS suffix rule?
TRAI now mandates that all commercial SMS headers must end with a 2-letter suffix indicating the message type: -P (Promotional), -T (Transactional), -S (Service), or -G (Government).shreetripada
2. Can I use a Service header for marketing?
No. Sanchar Saathi uses AI to analyze message content. If a “Service” header sends marketing content, it will be blocked, and you may face penalties.trai
3. What happens if users report my SMS on Chakshu?
If you receive multiple reports, your Sender ID/Header can be blacklisted, and your ability to send bulk SMS will be suspended.sancharsaathi
4. Is DLT registration still required?
Yes. DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) registration is the foundation. Sanchar Saathi acts as an additional policing layer on top of DLT.pdicai
5. What is the “160 series” for calling?
It is a dedicated number series allocated by TRAI for commercial business calls. Using standard 10-digit mobile numbers for business calling is now being flagged as spam.sancharsaathi
6. Will my old SMS templates work?
Only if they match the new header rules. You may need to re-register templates if your header name changes to include the suffix.
7. How do I check if my Sender ID is blocked?
You can check the status on your respective DLT operator portal (e.g., Jio DLT, Airtel DLT) or look for error codes (like “Failure: Spam Rejected”) in your SMS gateway reports.
8. Are OTPs affected?
Transactional messages (OTPs) are prioritized but must use the -T suffix. Failure to update the header could lead to OTP delivery failures.trai
9. Can I send SMS with links (URLs)?
Yes, but the URL must be “whitelisted” on the DLT portal. Sanchar Saathi blocks SMS containing unverified or shortened URLs (like bit.ly) to prevent phishing.moneycontrol
10. What is the penalty for non-compliance?
Penalties range from temporary suspension of services to fines of up to ₹50 per violation, and eventual blacklisting of the Principal Entity.trai
- https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/sanchar-saathi-rollout-why-the-centre-s-mandate-has-sparked-a-national-privacy-debate-13705736.html
- https://www.trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-02/Regulation_12022025.pdf
- https://www.shreetripada.com/new-trai-sms-header-rules-2025.php
- https://kb.smsalert.co.in/knowledgebase/trai-mandates-header-suffixes-for-sms-new-rules-effective-from-may-6-2025/
- https://sancharsaathi.gov.in
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dot.app.sancharsaathi&hl=en
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- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyBPPOnLQgg
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- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=156294&ModuleId=3®=6&lang=1
- https://ddindia.co.in/2025/12/sanchar-saathi-app-emerges-as-major-citizen-tool-against-mobile-theft-and-cyber-fraud/
- https://ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in/Device/SancharSaathiKym.jsp
- https://www.medianama.com/2025/12/223-sanchar-saathi-pre-installation-directive-future-sim-binding/
- http://trai.gov.in/government-entities
- https://taxguru.in/rbi/rbi-directs-measures-combat-voice-call-sms-frauds.html
- https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/SancharSaathiDocuments/ImportantDocuments/DoT%20mobile%20Subscriber%20Reverification%20instructions%20-%20dated%2007-12-2021.pdf
