Chidambaram says idea not to delay 3G services

MHA, DoT working together to formulate rules for interception.

In an effort to make 3G telecom service available while being able to monitor it closely, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said its members were working with the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) to formulate rules to allow the intercepting and monitoring needed for national security.

While presenting the monthly report card, Home Minister P Chidambaram said officials were working to put in place some rules and norms to intercept 3G services, important for national security.

“The idea is not to interrupt or delay the 3G services but to allow 3G services to go forward even while monitoring mechanisms are put in place,” Chidambaram told reporters.

In a meeting between top officials of MHA and DoT with telecom operators on December 20, the government had directed them to hold the services till they could demonstrate legal interception facilities. The next-generation 3G services will allow customers to make voice call, video calls and data services.

The home minister further stressed there was no need to fear 3G services would get interrupted or delayed.

The Union government had also sent letters to telecom operators to stop the launch of 3G services for commercial purposes till the time they could provide legal facilities to intercept and monitor the services by the central investigating agencies.

Security agencies were not satisfied with the interceptions of video call services and had asked the operators to first address their concerns.

Members of the security establishment were also concerned, since none of the telecom operators could intercept video calls on a real time basis.