Apple, Trai to discuss DND app issue

Trai app allows users to report directly to the regulator about pesky calls and unsolicited messages from telemarketers

US-tech giant Apple has written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to discuss suggestions regarding the regulator’s Do Not Disturb (DND) app, which the iphone maker had refused to have on its app store, citing privacy issues.

The Trai app allows users to report directly to the regulator pesky calls and unsolicited messages from telemarketers.

Although Apple did not allow the app on its app store, Google’s Android operating system supports it.

Trai Chairman RS Sharma said, “They have written to us and want to share some suggestions they have. We have invited them for talks.”

Sharma has termed the step taken by Apple unreasonable and said that users have control of their data and should decide with whom the data could be shared.

The regulator has come up with a consultation paper on privacy, security, and ownership of data in telecom. The paper has highlighted the question if third-party entities could control the data of individuals.

Asked if Apple had shared its suggestions regarding the app, Sharma said: “Apple has not given us any commitment as yet, we are interested in finding a solution where we are saying that for your own (Apple) customers, you should enable the APIs (application programming interface) so that they are able to send those SMSes or those calls they consider to be pesky,” Sharma said.

Sharma had earlier rubbished reports that Apple’s refusal to allow the DND app was because it was not meeting some technology protocols.