Telcos to tighten user check norms

Government today directed mobile operators offering pre-paid services in Jammu and Kashmir and North East to follow instructions on verification of particulars of new users.

After issuing the new instructions earlier this month, Department of Telecom today held a meeting with mobile operators and asked them to strictly follow them after the industry raised concern over its implementation.

Official sources said there were apprehensions by operators on the guidelines that an existing subscriber of minimum three month old should become a witness for a new connection of the same service provider. According to operators this would not be possible in case of new operators who are planning to roll out services.

Operators have suggested that instead of existing subscribers, gazetted officers of the state Government should be authorised to verify new prepaid mobile customers, sources said.

DoT allowed pre-paid mobile services in these terrorist-infested states in February for a period of one year. However, with the rising number of fake addresses and identification given by the subscribers, government fears that terrorists could abuse pre-paid mobile service and walk away scot-free.

"The application for the prepaid connections should be witnessed (sic) by an existing subscriber who must be a regular revenue paying subscriber for at least three previous months of the same service provider," said the DoT guidelines issued in the first week of June.

Pre-paid mobile connections were allowed earlier this year in J-K and northeast, while post paid connections there were allowed earlier.

The mobile company has to also randomly verify 10 per cent of the witness within three months from the date of issuing connections.

The mobile subscriber verification drive all over the country has already set the ball rolling for authentic documentation. Now DoT wants service providers to take necessary action to effectively sensitise the public of these states about the misuse of a mobile connection with fake documents, which would attract stringent action, the letter said.

It is also the responsibility of the service provider to verify telephonically with the witness before activating the new telephone connections. Even the remarks of the witness will be recorded on the application form along with his or her contactable address.