In a big crackdown on cybercrime, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Department of Telecom have blocked 2.27 lakh mobile handsets and disconnected over 1 crore mobile connections. This action is part of a broader initiative to combat fraudulent activities and enhance cyber security.
The move comes as part of a coordinated effort to tackle unwanted callers and fraudsters. According to an official statement, "More than 1 crore fraudulent mobile connections have been disconnected with the help of Sancharsaathi. Additionally, 2.27 lakh mobile handsets have been blocked due to their involvement in cybercrime and financial fraud."
To address the issue of spam calls, TRAI has instructed telecom operators to disconnect and blacklist entities using bulk connections for robocalls and pre-recorded messages. The statement further noted, "In the past two weeks, over 3.5 lakh such numbers have been disconnected, and 50 entities have been blacklisted. Additionally, around 3.5 lakh unused and unverified SMS headers and 12 lakh content templates have been blocked."
TRAI has also announced updated regulations and service quality rules, which will take effect from October 1. Starting April 1 next year, the quality of service (QoS) performance of mobile services will be monitored on a monthly basis instead of the current quarterly system.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently highlighted the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre's (I4C) efforts to improve cyber security in India. He also mentioned that Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan has joined I4C's campaign for a Cyber-Secure Bharat.
Another important initiative is the launch of Sanchar Saathi by the Department of Telecom, which allows citizens to report suspicious calls and messages. TRAI has also issued consultation papers proposing immediate suspension of services for unregistered telemarketers who receive complaints beyond a certain threshold and has called for proactive measures to detect and act against suspected spammers.
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