New Delhi :
The Department of Telecommunications has reportedly disconnected over 15 lakh mobile numbers that were issued using fraudulent credentials.
More Than 15 Lakh Mobile Numbers Terminated
In a written response to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Minister of State for Telecom, Devusinh Chauhan, stated that the Department of Telecommunications has disconnected more than 15 lakh mobile numbers that were provided with false identification.
The government has taken several measures to strengthen the system for dealing with cybercrimes in a thorough and coordinated manner, the minister added.
According to a statement made by Minister of State for Telecom, Devusinh Chauhan, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Indian government has implemented measures to strengthen its response to cybercrimes.
These include the operationalization of a toll-free helpline, “1930”, for filing online cyber complaints.
In addition, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has issued directions to Telecom Service Providers to prevent the misuse of headers and message templates for cybercrime/fraud.
Furthermore, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center (I4C) has been established to provide law enforcement agencies with a framework and eco-system to address cybercrimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.
The minister made the statement in response to the disconnection of over 15 lakh mobile numbers that were issued using fraudulent credentials.
Whatsapp, Telegram To Pay IUC To Telecom Operators
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is reportedly working on a proposal to regulate popular communication-based apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype, and Facetime.
As per the plan, these apps may be required to pay interconnect usage charges (IUCs) to telecom operators for utilizing their networks.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is considering the implementation of a plan to regulate communication-based apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype, Facetime, and others, by mandating them to pay interconnect usage charges (IUCs) to telecom operators in return for using their networks.
Additionally, these operators may have to pay a one-time nominal licence or registration fee.
However, it remains unclear whether these apps will have to pay a recurring licence fee as a portion of their adjusted gross revenue (AGR).
Official sources have reported that the proposal to regulate communication-based apps by requiring them to pay interconnect usage charges and a possible licence or registration fee is still in its nascent stages, and discussions are ongoing.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is also simultaneously working on the issue and is expected to release a consultation paper in the near future.
The telecom Bill, which is expected to be introduced during the monsoon session of Parliament, is likely to include provisions for regulating communication-based apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype, Facetime, and others.
While the specific regulations are yet to be announced, the final version of the Bill may indicate the intention to enact some sort of regulation.
