The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has said that a dedicated landline number series to curb telemarketer calls may pose a threat to national security. This is because such calls will be difficult to trace. It has promoted the Department of Telecommunications? (DoT) view that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)?s plans to introduce a Level 140 number series for all telemarketers may pose risks at the landline exchange level.
Caller line identification (CLI) in a landline exchange is done manually. DoT has said that if all telemarketers were allotted numbers prefixed with 140, it could impact the existing landline numbering system.
Security agencies may find it difficult to trace these calls, as each call would display a uniform code (140) instead of the present system of location-based STD codes.
Currently, if a landline-based telemarketing call is to be traced, the government relies on location-based STD codes and the following digits which vary from exchange to exchange within a telecom circle.
This follows TRAI urging DoT to complete the process of allotting the 140 number series to all telemarketers to help consumers identify unsolicited commercial calls by end-June.
