India - illegal call routing

Illegal call routing costs govt Rs 145 cr in 3 yrs

Government said on Monday it has lost revenues to the tune of Rs 145 crore (Rs 1.45 billion) due to illegal routing of international calls by telecom service providers during the last three financial years.

Illegal routing of international calls is assessed to have caused a loss of about Rs 145 crore to the government during the last three financial years, Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

In 2007-08 alone the government has lost Rs 18.26 crore (Rs 182.6 million), he said.

Illegal routing of international calls is done in the guise of local calls by private players, resulting in evasion of connectivity and Access Deficit Charges.

He added the government has set up Vigilance Telecom Monitoring cells with the help of law enforcement agencies to check the routing of international calls.

The government is also setting up a Centre for Communication Security Research and Monitoring, where Call Data Records would be analysed for detection of illegal routing of calls and grey market telecom set up, he added.

To a separate query, Scindia said the government has approved a scheme for establishing 1,00,000 broadband, Internet enabled common services centres in rural areas.

The scheme would entail a investment of Rs 5,794 crore (Rs 57.94 billion) over four years. Of the total, the Centre is estimated to contribute Rs 856 crore (Rs 8.56 billion) and the states Rs 793 crore (Rs 7.93 billion). The balance resources would be mobilised from the private sectors.

Minister said the DoT has sought recommendations of the telecom regulator Trai on the need and timing for introduction of Virtual Mobile Network Operators. The decision to allow VMNO would be taken after considering the recommendations of Trai on the subject, he added.