Seven days ultimatum to operators: Real time test for video calls by DoT

Operators have been given up to seven days by DoT to demonstrate that data services can be tapped in real time, failing which the services will be disallowed. DoT had sent notices to Reliance Communications, Bharti Airtel and Tata Teleservices asking them to withdraw all 3G services that can not be monitored. Telecom minister Kapil Sibal has assured that it will find solutions to his department’s ban on offering some 3G services, including the video call facility soon.

DoT last week halted video-calling services due to security concerns at the home ministry’s behest, as these can be traced only a few minutes after they have ended. While intelligence agencies complain that such calls cannot be monitored live, telcos say there is no such technology available globally for real-time tapping of video calls.

Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications are the only two private telecom operators to have launched their 3G services so far. Bharti Airtel is expected to roll out the service before the year end, and Vodafone early next year. The major question arises that If state-owned telcos BSNL and MTNL could offer video calls over the 3G platform for more than a year now, why is the government stopping private telcos from doing so.

Earlier this year, 3G and BWA spectrum auction fetched the national exchequer more than Rs 1 lakh crore of revenue as against an expectation of just Rs 35,000 crore.

This is not the first time security agencies have asked telecom companies to shut down services due to their inability to monitor traffic flowing through communications networks.