The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has released guidelines to remove illegal mobile signal gear. It plans to take penal action against those who do not remove or surrender illegal mobile signal boosters despite being notified by the government. The move is a bid to further strengthen the mechanism to remove such illegal boosters and repeaters which cause interferences with telecom services.
The wireless monitoring organisation (WMO), a wing of DoT, has said in the guidelines that once a telecom firm complains about the use of such equipment at any place, the body will inspect the site along with a representative of the telco and local police and issue an infringement intimation letter to a user, asking such equipment to be removed.
However, in the case of the errant party, who could be a person or an entity fails to surrender such an unauthorised booster and continues to use the equipment, action such as imposition of a fine, under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, Indian Wireless Telegrahy Act, 1933, and Indian Wireless Telegrahy (Possession) Rules, 1965, may be initiated. Telcos and DoT officials have been asked to create awareness among subscribers about illegal boosters. Once the booster is surrendered, the telecom firms should ensure improvement of coverage in that area. Further, the surrendered equipment should be destroyed after 30 days.
