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Soon, the regular identity proof will not be enough to get a new mobile phone connection. To restrict unauthorised use of mobile SIM cards by criminals and terrorists, telecom service providers will soon introduce biometric authentication.
In a letter to Home Secretary R K Singh, Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar recently said the department of telecommunications (DoT) should work towards a system to make customer verification foolproof. DoT should maintain a central database of all mobile subscribers with biometric parameters, similar to the Aadhaar system, Kumar said in the letter.
This would entail taking the finger print, thumb impression, or any other biometric feature of the subscriber at the time of applying for a new connection.
In the letter, Kumar suggested the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India exercise stricter control and impose heavy penalties to deter telcos from flouting the norms.
Besides, physical verification of all applicants should be mandatory before activating of the SIM. If the operators go for tele-verification, SIM cards should be sent by registered post only. Credit and debit cards are delivered in this process.
Kumar also suggested that stringent punishment be prescribed for the service provider for issuing multiple SIM cards against same customer application form number.
The home secretary has forwarded Kumar’s recommendations to DoT, which will examine the suggestions and see how to incorporate those in the guidelines for customer verification.
Kumar’s suggestions came in the wake of the so-called ‘Nigerian scams’. There have been instances of selling SIM cards, even pre-activated ones, to whose who provide fake identity proof..
