Explore Business Standard
Free Messaging App
Broadband India Forum (BIF) on Tuesday flagged "serious concerns" over the government directive mandating a continuous, active SIM for use of messaging apps, and urged the Centre to pause implementation timelines and hold stakeholder consultations on the SIM-binding issue. BIF said that, while well-intentioned in its stated goal of curbing cyber-fraud originating from abroad, the directions raise significant questions of jurisdiction, consumer impact, and risk, creating obligations that extend far beyond the mandate of the Telecom Act or the purpose of the Telecom Cyber Security Rules. BIF represents major technology firms like Meta, Google, and others, and its latest stance marks another standoff with the telcos' body COAI, which believes the government's latest directive would bolster national security and safeguard citizens. COAI on Monday pledged telecom operators' commitment to supporting the seamless implementation of the directive. "BIF expresses serious concern over the ...
Industry body COAI on Tuesday said similar cybersecurity and regulatory rules should govern players, be it telecom operators or OTT communication applications. In a statement on the 'need to address spam calls and messages', the association argued that for a number issued by a telco to a subscriber, the operator takes the onus and responsibility and if required, it can provide all assistance to enforcement agencies. "However, in this same example, there could be instances whereby an OTT Communication Application used on the same number, may be utilised in another handset of the user, carried beyond the limits of a city/state, and may be used for illegal purposes. "Here again, while the telecom number can only be traced to the city where the mobile is residing, there are no ways to trace the activities of the OTT Communication App which was initially issued on the mobile number, but is now running off a separate handset, while the SIM is on a different handset," said Cellular ...
Telecom operators expect internet calling and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Google Meet, and Telegram to comply with rules in the same manner as all service providers do, industry body COAI said on Monday. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) -- whose members include Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, among others -- said it is misleading to demand to exclude over-the-top (OTT) communication apps from the Telecommunications Act 2023 as they are subject to other regulations because various non-sectoral rules apply on telecom operators as well. "COAI would like to state that the 'Security of the Country' is of utmost importance and in this regard, all communication service providers, including OTT-based communication services, should adhere to the requisite directives of the country as done by the Telecom Service Providers," COAI Director General SP Kochhar said. He said that telecom operators have invested heavily in setting up the infrastructure for lawful
Enterprise messaging firm Route Mobile's public shareholders have tendered shares worth about Rs 2,500 crore at current price for the company's ongoing open offer, according to a regulatory filing. The open offer has been triggered with Belgium-based Proximus Group, through its subsidiary, initially acquiring a 57.56 per cent stake in enterprise messaging firm Route Mobile for Rs 5,922.4 crore in an all-cash deal. The acquisition has triggered an open market offer for the sale of 26 per cent of Route Mobile in compliance with regulatory guidelines. Depending on the outcome of the MTO (mandatory takeover offer), the stake held by Proximus Opal could further increase to around 75 per cent of Route Mobile's shares. "1,57,68,803 equity shares have been tendered in the Escrow Demat Account (with The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC)," Route Mobile said. The tendered period has closed now. Shares of Route Mobile closed at Rs 1,600.65 apiece, down 0.54 per cent, a