TL;DR: DND (Do Not Disturb) is TRAI's free national preference register for promotional calls and SMS. Send START 0 to 1909 from your mobile, call 1909, or use your operator's app to block all promotional categories. Since TRAI's 2025 amendment you can complain about spam within 7 days, even from unregistered senders. DND does not stop scam calls: report those on Sanchar Saathi's Chakshu, and call 1930 if money is lost.
What DND does
DND is a preference you set with your operator under TRAI's Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR) 2018. Registered telemarketers must respect it, so you stop getting promotional calls and SMS in the categories you block. Transactional messages (bank OTPs, delivery alerts) and service messages still reach you.
How to register for DND
By SMS or call (any operator)
- Block everything promotional: send START 0 to 1909 from the number you want to register.
- Call 1909 and follow the prompts.
- BSNL: send START DND to 1909, then follow the reply to pick categories.
Your operator replies by SMS to confirm the request. Beebom's operator guide notes the change can take up to 7 days to fully apply.
Block only some categories
Prefer offers in a few areas? Send START followed by the category number to 1909:
- 1: Banking, insurance, financial products, credit cards
- 2: Real estate
- 3: Education
- 4: Health
- 5: Consumer goods and automobiles
- 6: Communication, broadcasting, entertainment, IT
- 7: Tourism and leisure
Through your operator
- Jio: MyJio app, menu, Settings, Service Settings, Do not disturb, choose Fully Blocked and submit.
- Airtel: Airtel's DND web page, verify by OTP, choose Stop All.
- Vi: Vi's DND web page, verify by OTP and pick your preference.
TRAI also publishes a DND app that lets you register preferences and file complaints from one place.
The 2025 TRAI rule changes
TRAI amended the TCCCPR in February 2025. According to TRAI's press release:
- Longer complaint window: you can now complain about spam within 7 days of receiving it, up from 3.
- Unregistered senders: you can complain about spam from unregistered senders without registering a DND preference first. Your number, the sender's number, the date and a short description make a valid complaint.
- Faster action: operators must act against unregistered spammers within 5 days, down from 30.
- Number series: promotional calls use the 140 series; a new 1600 series is for transactional and service calls, so you can tell them apart.
- Opt-out: promotional messages must carry an opt-out option, and a sender can't ask for your consent again for 90 days after you opt out.
- Penalties: a sender caught once has outgoing services barred for 15 days; repeat offenders are disconnected across all operators for a year and blacklisted.
How to complain about spam
- Note the sender's number or header, the date and what the call or SMS was about.
- Complain within 7 days through your operator's app or website, the TRAI DND app, or by calling or texting 1909.
- Keep a screenshot. TRAI's rules require operator apps to accept screenshots and auto-capture call and SMS details with your permission.
What DND won't stop
Scammers don't register as telemarketers, so DND does nothing against fake bank, courier or “digital arrest” calls. For those:
- Report suspected fraud calls and messages on Chakshu in Sanchar Saathi.
- If money has left your account, call 1930 straight away: how to file a 1930 cybercrime complaint.
- Learn the scripts they use: common scam call scripts in India.
- Check for SIMs you didn't take: how many SIM cards are in my name.
Living abroad too? See the US Do Not Call Registry, Canada's DNCL and Australia's Do Not Call Register.
Why the calls started in the first place
A sudden rise in spam usually means your number is circulating in leaked or sold databases; our explainer on why spam calls increase after a data breach covers how. A free email exposure check shows whether your email is in known breaches, and the full Scan My Shadow scan adds your phone number.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I activate DND in India?
Send START 0 to 1909 from your mobile, call 1909, or use your operator's app or DND web page. BSNL users send START DND to 1909.
Is DND registration free?
Yes. DND registration with your operator is free on all networks.
How long does DND take to start working?
Your operator confirms by SMS. It can take up to 7 days for the block to fully apply.
How do I complain about spam calls in India?
Complain within 7 days through your operator app or website, the TRAI DND app, or 1909. Since 2025 you can complain about unregistered senders even without DND.
Does DND stop scam calls?
No. Scammers ignore DND. Report fraud calls on Sanchar Saathi Chakshu, and call 1930 if you have lost money.
Sources
- TRAI: Press release No. 11 of 2025 on TCCCPR amendments
- Beebom: How to activate DND on Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL