Government modifies telecom network security norms, due to the pressure from foreign telecom equipment vendors

   GOVERNMENT  MODIFIES  SECURITY NORMS FOR TELECOM NETWORKS, DUE TO THE PRESSURE FROM FOREIGN TELECOM EQUIPMENT VENDORS

The foreign telecom equipment vendors totally opposed the telecom security norms announced by the Government of India in 2010. Due to the concerns raised by the Indian security agencies over the possibility of embedded malware and spyware in the imported telecom equipment,  the Government of India  issued guidelines in 2010 for the foreign equipment suppliers that they should transfer their technology to Indian manufacturers within three years, they should appoint only Indians while installing, maintaining and operating the networks for the telecom services companies  and they should deposit their software source codes in an escrow account. But the foreign vendors like Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson opposed this, whereas the Chinese vendors agreed for the escrow account and deposited source codes. Finally coming under the pressure of the American and European equipment vendors, the Government diluted all these norms and issued revised guidelines on 31-5-2011. As per these revised guidelines, the foreign suppliers need not transfer their technology, need not deposit their source code in escrow account, and need not man the telecom network with Indians except at the level of Chief Technology Officer etc. While thus absolving the foreign vendors from any responsibility regarding security, these new guidelines put the entire responsibility on telecom services companies. The telecom service companies have to get their net work audited from the security point of view by a certified agency, call data  of customers must be made available along with the tracking of their location  etc. According to the estimates, the technical up gradation for acquiring these capabilities will cost Rs 5000 crore to 5800 crore per operator with in next 3 months. The telecom services operators are demanding the Government to share the burden. Thus the burden of security of the telecom network is being shifted from foreign equipment vendors to telecom services companiew which in turn are trying to shift that to the government exchequer.