Government Identifies 30 Illegal Telecom Set-Ups for Routing ISD Calls

The Department of Telecommunications in coordination with telecom service providers and law enforcement agencies has cracked down on 30 entities that were routing ISD calls received through internet illegally to mobile and wireline customers in India.

Illegal telecom set-ups primarily use internet connectivity on one side and connect to domestic mobile and landline network for distribution of call, which is not allowed as per regulations. Such illegal set-ups pose security threat and revenue loss to the government.

“DoT field units in coordination with TSPs (Telecom Service Providers) and law enforcement agencies were able to unearth operations of 30 such illegal telecom set-ups in last four months,” an official statement said on Wednesday.

Members of the public are requested to report such illegal establishments to DoT’s call centre, the statement said.

The government has set-up call centres having number 1800110420 and 1963 for reporting the cases by public on receiving any international call displaying Indian mobile or landline number.

To ensure the safety of users on internet, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has recently introduced a new draft Bill, through which the government seeks to replace the existing legal framework governing telecommunications in India.

The government through the new Bill seeks to consolidate the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950.

The Centre believes India needs a legal framework attuned to the realities of the 21st century, explanatory note to the Bill proposed to be named Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022, said.

“The existing regulatory framework for the telecommunication sector is based on the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885. The nature of telecommunication, its usage and technologies have undergone a massive change since the era of the “telegraph”. The world stopped using “telegraph” in 2013,” the explanatory note said.