Cairo: The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has introduced a comprehensive set of regulatory and technical measures designed to enhance transparency in communications and provide users with greater control over incoming calls. This initiative aims to assist citizens in better identifying callers, whether they are using mobile or landline phones, and represents a significant advancement in the ongoing battle against nuisance and promotional calls.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the NTRA announced these changes in a press release on Monday, emphasizing that the updates are part of broader efforts to protect the privacy of telecommunications users and to address the persistent disruptions caused by unsolicited calls. One of the key updates includes the introduction of a caller ID feature for landline phones, which allows users to see the name of the calling party, including those making promotional calls, before answering. This measure is expected to help individuals make informed decisions about which calls to accept.

In addition to this, the caller identification system has been expanded to display not only the caller's name but also their role or occupation. This enhancement is particularly relevant for calls from journalists, delivery service personnel, or individuals involved in donation campaigns, aiming to differentiate legitimate calls from unwanted telemarketing attempts.

The NTRA has also outlined stringent penalties for violations. Any device using unregistered lines for promotional calls more than once to make nuisance calls will be deactivated across all networks in Egypt. If a user tries to bypass this restriction by reactivating the device with another unregistered line and continues making nuisance calls, the phone will be permanently blocked and rendered inoperable on any Egyptian telecom network.

Moreover, individuals proven to have used unauthorized lines for marketing purposes will be permanently banned from obtaining new lines, even for personal use. The regulator stated that this step is crucial for ensuring adherence to its privacy-protection framework.

These new rules build on earlier regulations issued in July 2024, which required anyone making promotional or commercial calls to register their details with mobile operators and legally activate the relevant service. Under those rules, callers must also ensure that recipients are informed of the nature of the call, either through the display of the entity's name or a prior warning label such as 'NTRA Alert.'

The authority emphasized its commitment to strict enforcement and ongoing collaboration with telecom providers to uphold these measures. Citizens are also encouraged to report any violations or nuisance calls through telecom operators' customer service channels or directly via the NTRA's call center.

This move is seen as a significant step forward in regulating Egypt's telecommunications environment and reflects the growing demand for better consumer protection amidst rising privacy concerns.