The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has urged the government to implement regulations regarding the entry and exit of data from Indian telecom networks, including that of over-the-top (OTT) players.
Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, director general, COAI, highlighted the importance of the government taking a leadership role in establishing security standards, which the industry would then support. This call came during the inaugural session of the India Mobile Congress and ITU’s World Telecommunications Standardisation Assembly (WTSA), where the Prime Minister emphasised the need for global discussions on cyber security.
Kochhar pointed out that with advancements in cloud technology, both international and Indian laws apply to elements within Indian jurisdiction. He noted that a significant amount of fraud is now occurring through various applications, particularly OTT services.
Telecom operators have been advocating for regulations on OTT applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Meet, arguing that they provide similar communication services to those offered by mobile service providers without adhering to the same regulatory requirements.
