Press Information Bureau English Releases

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has instructed all the Telecom Service Providers to ensure that a technical solution for interception and monitoring of Blackberry services in readable format is made available to the Law Enforcing Agencies by 31st August 2010. In case no solution is provided, those services which can not be intercepted and monitored in readable format may be banned by the government.

In reply to another question he said that, inadequate compliance to Security Conditions by Telecom Service Providers have come to the notice of Department of Telecommunications (DoT) from time to time. In many cases instructions are issued for compliance of security conditions or penalties are imposed for non compliance. Government has also asked Service Providers to provide technical solutions for interception and monitoring of certain services having complex encryption provided through Blackberry devices in readable format to Law Enforcement Agencies. In case no solution is provided these services may be banned by the Government.

Specific Security Conditions are prescribed in the license issued to the Telecom Service Providers. These include conditions regarding subscriber verification, Lawful Interception and Monitoring, power of Government to restrict service in certain areas, employment of foreign personnel, encryption of communication, cooperation with Security Agencies and DoT/TERM (Telecom Enforcement, Resource & Monitoring) Cells etc.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Shri Sachin Pilot in a written reply to a Question in Rajya Sabha today.

SP/AT/S
(Release ID :65323)