DoT Asks Airtel, Tata and Reliance to Hold 3G Video Calling Services

New Delhi: Telecom Department (DoT) on Tuesday sent notices to three telecom service providers, directing them to shut down their video calling services on 3G until interception facilities are cleared by security agencies.

In a letter sent to Airtel, Reliance and Tata, the Government addressed the shortcomings in interception facilities of video calling on 3G services. DoT said that these shortcomings need to be resolved before launching video calling services.

According to an exhaustive note sent by the DoT, it had observed that law enforcement agencies could not intercept video calls in real time. The contents of such calls were displayed only after five minutes of the completion of these calls

“It is further directed that the 3G services should not be launched commercially till successful demonstration of the capabilities and approval of the same by DoT. If 3G services have already been launched by Reliance Communications in any of the service area, these should be stopped immediately,” stated a notice from DoT.

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Meanwhile, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal while attending a conference here said that the government will try to resolve security issues around 3G services as soon as possible. “Telecom operators associations today met me and discussed the issue of security around 3G services. We will discuss (the matter) and come to a decision as quickly as possible,” Sibal said.

Such a shut down or hold on by security agencies could impact telecom operator’s revenue projections from 3G services as they have invested billion dollars for the 3G services. “We have invested thousands of crores of rupees in buying spectrum and setting up the infrastructure and now we are told that we can’t offer services. There is a complete lack of understanding on the part of Government on how this technology works,” said one of the operators.

Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications have already started 3G services in India while Airtel will launch the same by December end. The three companies were to start the video call facilities by the end of this year.

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