The Indian telecom regulator has imposed a limit which means that no one can send more than 100 text messages per day, in an attempt to curb marketing messages.

The ruling is good news to millions of mobile phone users in the country, who are bombarded with dozens of text messages per day offering everything from credit cards to houses.

Phone users can subscribe to a "national do not call" list by texting a message to 1909, but some companies have flouted this list and continued sending messages; in December India announced plans to hand out heavier fines to tele-marking firms who ignored the "do not call" list.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has barred companies from commercial calls or text messages between the hours of 9am and 9pm, but this has not stopped some marketers, who are apparently sending messages as early as 3am, according to the BBC.

The "do not call" list was introduced in 2007 and since that time Trai says that the number of unwanted sales calls has come down drastically, but the number of text messages sent skyrocketed.

India