I have been receiving messages from a host of companies like ICICI, Vodafone, HSBC etc etc. Its nothing new that I get these messages. That I have been receiving for a long time now. I have observed that the “From” name in these messages is a bit different. I don’t get these sms from a number. It has a character string.
I investigated this further and found out a directive from the TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) to the mobile service providers. This directive mandates the service providers to reign in unsolicited commercial communications to the users of the mobile service.
The text of th directive can be found here: http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/trai/upload/Directives/131/direction10dec08.pdf
The directive also mandates the source of the commercial sms should be uniquely identified. In this regard, the TRAI has come up with a sent of mobile service provider specific codes and also code for the service area. This makes it easy to recognize in which network and from which location did the sms originate So if you get a message from ICICI Bank with the sender as TM-ICICIBK, the “T” in “TM” stands for the mobile operator (Tata Teleservices) and “M” stands for the location (Mumbai)
Check out the images below, they list the mobile service provider codes and service location code. Next time u get such an sms just find where did the sms originate.
