Illegal 3G sharing leads to security implications

The telecom ministry has reacted roughly to the illegal intra-agreement of sharing 3G spectrum followed by several telecom companies. This is not only responsible for the losses incurred by the government, but also leads to security threats. A note formed by the Telecom Ministry and assessed by DNA’s senior officials state that roaming agreements are short termed. Reportedly, “Instead, a few telecom companies which successfully bid for the 3G spectrum immediately sublet a portion of their spectrum by signing roaming agreements.” So, the agreement lets telecom companies offer 3G services even in markets they’ve lost, eventually destroying the bidding process and causing huge losses to the government.

Illegal 3G sharing

Moreover, it's not just about losses, it also means a security blunder for India’s intelligence and security agencies. It causes hindrance in the process called LIMS (Legal Interception, Monitoring and Surveillance), which is used to tap phones of terrorists and criminals. The 3G sharing agreement allows the subscriber to use the visitor’s network permanently causing security implications. Security agencies need to take permission from a particular state, while following a target phone that is on roaming, leading to delays, which could prove to be fatal. 

The report further states that according to some sources, Telecom Secretary, R Chandrashekhar has approved of the note. The findings will be forwarded to the Union Law Secretary for further advice.