DoT may ask BSNL, Bharti to fully comply with security norms

The Department of Telecom (DoT) is likely to ask service providers Bharti Airtel and BSNL to fully comply with the security norms where they were found to be lagging by the home ministry.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had brought it to the notice of the DoT about unsatisfactory level of security compliance by these two players in Meghalaya and Bihar circles.

A DoT official said both the operators would be asked to upgrade their interception network in the respective areas.

When contacted a Bharti Airtel spokesperson said: "We are fully compliant with DoT guidelines and have deployed state-of-the- art technology and robust systems in all our operations. However, as a company policy, we do not comment on specific matters relating to the national security." BSNL officials were not available for comment.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in an internal letter to the DoT's security wing had stated that in the case of BSNL the issue was about monitoring of GPRS services of a 'target' which the local PSU officials were unable to provide as it was not technically feasible.

"This is not an acceptable response from the service provider. BSNL should be instructed to make necessary arrangements for GPRS monitoring of the target," said the communication from the home ministry to DoT.