Can't allow telcos to share customer specific data: Trai

Telecom regulator says licence conditions of telcos bars them from sharing such data with any agency

Even as the Credit Information Bureau Limited (Cibil) is trying to get access to the subscriber specific data of mobile operators, the telecom regulator Trai has said that the licence conditions of the telcos prohibits them from sharing such data with any agency.

According to a senior Trai official, “it is not Trai but the licence condition of the operators prohibits them from sharing customer specific data with banks or Cibil.

Earlier, Cibil officials had said that they are in talks with the Telecom regulatory authority of India (Trai). The rating bureau wanted to access the subscriber specific data of the telcos.

The Trai official said that for such permission, Cibil needs to get in touch with the telcom department. “It is the department of telecommunications (DoT) who deals with such issues.”

Telecom companies are accessing the credit history or cibil ratings for fixing the credit limit of their post-paid customers. Cibil officials said while a few operators have already tied up with the bureau, some more have expressed interest and expected to join soon. Mobile phone operators are using this service on a pilot basis. The companies are using the credit history data in select telecom circles to see if it works out for them.

Telecom companies, however, do not share their client-specific data with Cibil.