DoT asks Idea and Vodafone to provide details of subscribers using internet on their handsets

The Intelligence Bureau?s (IB) attempts to monitor the country?s mobile and internet usage have been expedited by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), say news reports.

As the first step, DoT has asked Idea Cellular and Vodafone India to provide IB with details of the subscribers using internet on their mobile phones.

Meanwhile, companies such as Research In Motion, Google, Yahoo!, Nokia, Motorola, etc, are already under the IB?s scanner. In fact, after several rounds of discussions with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), RIM recently established a server in the country to enable security agencies to access its Blackberry Messenger services.

RIM had been under various Indian security agencies? scanner for three years with regard to this issue. Prior to this, in October 2011, the handset maker had submitted a solution for real-time interception of its Blackberry Enterprise Services (BES). This solution was found to be up to par.

Now, DoT plans to request other handset companies, such Nokia and Motorola to develop a similar solution.