Mobile Monitor
- The home ministry wants service providers to furnish security agencies details of missed calls, SRs and details on retailers within an hour of a request
- Telecom companies are liable for SIM card issued on fake identity proofs
- Telecom companies say collating and maintaining such data nationwide involves huge costs and is impractical
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Soon after 30 SIM cards issued under fake names and addresses were confiscated in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir last week, the home ministry came down heavily on private telecom service providers. It has asked them to furnish details of missed calls, particulars of subscriber records (SRs) and details of retailers issuing SIM cards within an hour of a request from security agencies. The ministry has also asked for the password of a protected website where service providers store SRs. And telecom companies have been given a deadline of March 2010 to set up a system that allows sharing of this information with security agencies.
For the moment, the ministry has asked service providers to introduce a retailer verification system and on-the-spot photograph and finger printing of those being issued SIM cards. But more importantly, the ministry wants service provider to be responsible for issuance of SIM cards to persons giving fake names and addresses. The blame cannot be passed on to retailers, rather, the onus is on telecom companies to monitor retailers. This has been the source of much controversy. The ministry wants most of these measures implemented within a month. However, telecom firms say they will be unable to meet such a short deadline.
The Advisory Council for Telecom, the apex body of service providers in India, met on July 3 to discuss the issue at length. Subsequently, the home ministry and the telecom operators met on July 10. “The line of communication with the department of telecom is open. The option of dialogue is a continuous process, therefore, things will certainly be worked out,” said T.V. Ramachandran, director general, Cellular Operators Association of India.
On their part, service providers say it will not be possible for the industry to provide Call Detail Records (CDRS) of missed calls because of the large volumes and huge costs involved. They say providing this information would cost anywhere between Rs 600-700 crore in the next five years. The operators further point out that since the raw data of missed calls is generated, in case these details are required for any target number for a specific period of time, the same can be made available to security agencies. What they say is virtually impossible is a nationwide collection of this data. As for providing the subscriber/caller application forms, the service providers have asked for a time frame of 48 hours instead of ministry’s demand of one hour.
Meanwhile, Union home secretary G.K. Pillai told Outlook, “Misuse of cellphones is an area of concern. Therefore, we have discussed several issues with the private service providers. Things will be in place soon.” The government has also clarified that the telecom companies will be responsible for any misuse of SIM cards. However, the service providers say they cannot take responsibility for the retailers, since there are too many.
The ministry also wants telecom companies to introduce a location determining service whereby the position of a mobile phone can be located within a range of 50 metres, especially for the J&K region. Currently it functions in the range of 200-300 metres. A service provider says this involves huge costs. “The location determining services at shorter range means more towers. Currently, one tower covers 200-300 metres. Four towers are needed for a 50-metre range.”
While security agencies stress the need to keep a close watch on cellular phones, telecom companies say if such elaborate security measures have to be introduced, the costs may have to be borne by subscribers.
