Valuable time and effort of customers are wasted as hundreds of telemarketing firms call up or send SMS messages to your mobile phones to promote their products. Such calls are irritating, to say the least. There are ways to opt out of all such marketing gimmicks by signing up to the Do Not Disturb and National Do Not Call (NDNC) registry. DND services are operated by the cellular operators whereas NDNC is not.
To block marketing calls, follow the instructions below depending on your cellphone provider. You may also want to know how to send free, full 160 character SMS to mobile phones in India, and free SMS spam blocking software.
Airtel
To add your Airtel number, send an SMS message with the text START DND to 121. You will receive confirmation of your request soon, and within a few days your number will be part of DND list.
Vodafone
Vodafone’s SMS format for request to DND list is slightly different. Send an SMS with the text ACT DND to 111.
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Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular customers can sign up for DND list by filling up this form on Idea’s portal.
Instead, you can also call up 1909 (toll-free) or send an SMS “START DND” to 1909.
Reliance Mobile
Reliance also requires you to fill a form to stop marketing calls.
National Do Not Call Registry
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has a National Do Not Call Registry (NDNC). To block / prevent telemarketing calls to your phone number, simply request to be included in NDNC.
National Do Not Call Registry, at least in theory, blocks all commercial marketing. NDNC Registry has a database of numbers whose owners opted for it. Marketing firms are legally required to check that the numbers they are calling up are not listed in NDNC or face fines and other action.
Inclusion to NDNC is free. Typically, it takes upto 45 days for your phone number to be removed from all marketing lists.