DLT Consent Templates
Consent management is a critical component of DLT compliance in India. Businesses must register and maintain customer consent records on the DLT platform, especially for promotional and service-explicit messages. This guide covers consent types, registration, and best practices for compliance.
Why Consent Matters​
TRAI's regulations require businesses to obtain and record customer consent before sending commercial messages. The DLT platform enforces this by:
- Blocking promotional SMS to numbers without registered consent.
- Allowing customers to revoke consent at any time.
- Maintaining an audit trail of all consent records.
Sending promotional SMS to customers without registered consent is a violation of TRAI regulations. Violations can lead to fines, sender ID blacklisting, and account suspension.
Consent Types​
| Consent Type | Description | Required For | How It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explicit Consent | Customer actively opts in | Promotional SMS, Service Explicit | Customer provides clear written or digital consent |
| Implicit Consent | Inferred from an existing relationship | Transactional SMS, Service Implicit | Customer is an existing customer who has transacted with you |
| Deemed Consent | Consent assumed for certain communication types | Essential transactional messages | OTPs, critical alerts for existing customers |
Explicit Consent Methods​
Explicit consent can be collected through:
| Method | Example | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Web form | Checkbox on website: "I agree to receive promotional SMS" | Database record with timestamp |
| SMS opt-in | Customer replies "YES" or "START" to a promotional message | Inbound SMS log |
| Written form | Physical registration form with consent checkbox | Scanned document |
| App consent | In-app permission prompt for marketing messages | App activity log |
| IVR consent | Voice-based opt-in via a phone call flow | Call recording or log |
Registering Consent on DLT​
Step 1: Navigate to Consent Section​
- Log in to your DLT portal (Jio, Airtel, ViLPower, or BSNL).
- Navigate to Consent or Consent Management section.
- Click Register Consent or Upload Consent.
Step 2: Choose Registration Method​
| Method | Best For |
|---|---|
| Individual entry | Adding consent for a single number |
| Bulk upload (CSV) | Registering consent for many numbers at once |
| API integration | Automated consent registration (portal-specific) |
Step 3: Individual Consent Registration​
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Phone Number | Mobile number in E.164 format | +919876543210 |
| Consent Type | Explicit or Implied | Explicit |
| Communication Type | Categories the customer consented to | Promotional, Service Explicit |
| Consent Date | Date consent was obtained | 2025-01-15 |
| Consent Evidence | Reference to the consent proof | Web form ID: WF-2025-001 |
| Consent Expiry | Optional expiry date | 2026-01-15 |
Step 4: Bulk Consent Upload​
For registering consent for multiple numbers:
Prepare Your CSV​
phone_number,consent_type,communication_type,consent_date,evidence_reference
+919876543210,explicit,promotional,2025-01-15,WEB-FORM-001
+919876543211,explicit,promotional,2025-01-15,WEB-FORM-002
+919876543212,explicit,service_explicit,2025-01-10,APP-OPT-IN-003
Upload Steps​
- Navigate to Consent > Bulk Upload.
- Download the CSV template provided by the portal (recommended to ensure correct format).
- Fill in the template with your consent records.
- Upload the CSV file.
- Review the upload summary (success/failure count).
Upload consent records regularly. If you collect consent through an online form, set up a weekly or daily batch upload process to keep DLT records in sync.
Consent Template Registration​
In addition to registering individual consent records, you must register a consent template that defines how you collect consent from customers.
What Is a Consent Template?​
A consent template is a pre-registered format that describes the consent collection mechanism. It tells the DLT platform how and where you obtain customer consent.
Creating a Consent Template​
- Navigate to Consent Templates in your DLT portal.
- Click Add Consent Template.
- Fill in the details:
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Template Name | Descriptive name | website_signup_consent |
| Consent Collection Method | How consent is obtained | Web form, SMS opt-in, App, Written |
| Brand Name | Your business name | Exotel Communications |
| Content | The consent text shown to customer | See examples below |
Consent Template Examples​
Web Form Consent:
By signing up, you agree to receive promotional messages and offers from [Company Name]
via SMS. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message.
SMS Opt-In Consent:
Reply YES to subscribe to exclusive offers and updates from [Company Name].
Reply STOP to unsubscribe at any time. Standard messaging rates apply.
App Consent:
Allow [Company Name] to send you promotional messages and updates via SMS?
You can disable this in your app settings at any time.
Managing Opt-Out (Revocation)​
Customers must be able to revoke their consent at any time. You are required to:
Provide Opt-Out Mechanisms​
| Mechanism | Implementation |
|---|---|
| SMS keyword | Accept STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, or NO as opt-out keywords |
| Web portal | Provide a preference center URL where customers can manage subscriptions |
| Customer support | Process opt-out requests received via phone or email |
| In-app settings | Allow users to disable SMS notifications in your app |
Process Opt-Outs on DLT​
When a customer opts out:
- Remove consent from DLT -- Update the consent record on your DLT portal.
- Stop sending immediately -- Do not send any more promotional messages to the number.
- Confirm opt-out -- Send a final confirmation message (transactional): "You have been unsubscribed from [Company Name] promotional messages."
Handling Opt-Out via Two-Way SMS​
If you use Two-Way SMS to handle opt-outs:
app.post('/sms/inbound', (req, res) => {
const { From, Body } = req.body;
const keyword = Body.trim().toUpperCase();
const optOutKeywords = ['STOP', 'UNSUBSCRIBE', 'CANCEL', 'NO', 'OPTOUT'];
if (optOutKeywords.includes(keyword)) {
// Remove consent from your database
removeConsent(From);
// Remove consent from DLT portal (via portal API or manual process)
removeDltConsent(From);
// Send confirmation
sendTransactionalSms(From,
'You have been unsubscribed from promotional messages. You will no longer receive offers from us.');
}
res.status(200).send('OK');
});
TRAI regulations require that opt-out requests are honored within 7 days. Best practice is to process them immediately.
Consent Audit and Compliance​
Record Keeping​
Maintain detailed records of all consent activities:
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Consent date | When the customer opted in |
| Consent method | How consent was collected (web, SMS, app) |
| Consent evidence | Proof of consent (form submission ID, SMS log) |
| Revocation date | When the customer opted out (if applicable) |
| Communication types | What types of messages the customer consented to |
Compliance Checklist​
- Consent records uploaded to DLT portal for all promotional SMS recipients
- Consent templates registered on DLT portal
- Opt-out mechanism implemented and tested (STOP keyword at minimum)
- Opt-out requests processed within 7 days
- Consent records maintained for at least 1 year after revocation
- Promotional SMS only sent during 9 AM - 9 PM IST
- Promotional SMS not sent to DND numbers without explicit consent
Category Preferences​
Under TRAI regulations, customers can set preferences for the types of commercial communications they wish to receive. These categories include:
| Category | Code | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Banking/Insurance/Financial | 1 | Loan offers, insurance plans, credit card promotions |
| Real Estate | 2 | Property listings, home loan offers |
| Education | 3 | Course promotions, admission offers |
| Health | 4 | Health plans, medical offers |
| Consumer Goods/Automobiles | 5 | Product launches, automotive deals |
| Communication/Broadcasting/Entertainment/IT | 6 | OTT offers, telecom plans |
| Tourism/Leisure | 7 | Travel deals, hotel offers |
When a customer registers preferences on their operator's DND portal, promotional messages must respect these preferences. Messages outside the consented categories will be blocked.
Common Issues​
| Issue | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
FAILED_DLT_CONSENT | No consent registered for recipient | Upload consent for the number on DLT portal |
| Promotional SMS blocked | Recipient on DND without explicit consent | Register explicit consent or switch to transactional SMS type |
FAILED_DLT_PREFERENCE | Customer's category preference does not include your message type | Respect category preferences; send only consented categories |
| Consent upload fails | CSV format error | Use the portal's template CSV; ensure correct date formats |
| Old consent expired | Consent record past expiry date | Re-obtain consent and upload fresh records |
Next Steps​
- DLT Template Registration -- Register message templates
- DLT Entity Registration -- Entity registration guide
- Promotional SMS -- Sending promotional messages
- Two-Way SMS -- Handle opt-in/opt-out via SMS