The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) plans to set up a Centre for Communication Security Research for automation interception and monitoring of telecom services along with the telecom-equipment testing and security certification centres. The government has sanctioned Rs 4.5 billion for these projects.
DoT is looking forward to setting-up telecom equipment testing lab to meet the testing and certification requirements of telecom equipment manufacturing companies. Beginning July 2014, it would be mandatory for all telecom equipment to get a security certification from an authorised and certified lab, where testing would be done to meet the Indian and international security standards. According to the department, the security of testing telecom equipment is a new area for which standards need to be set. The systems and processes are to be developed and finalised with all stakeholders including service providers, equipment manufacturers and prospective test labs.
The main centre for testing security of telecom equipment would be the Telecom Testing Security Certification Centre (TTSC). However, since TTSC may not be able handle all the testing requirements due to large volume of telecom equipment used in the country every year, DoT is planning to rope in private and other public sector labs to test and certify telecom equipment. Thee labs will be accredited by TTSC and the players will be charged an accreditation fee.
DoT plans to invite bids from both domestic as well as international players. Companies that have two or more years of experience in telecom and information technology in manufacturing, hardware, software development, or testing would be eligible for participating in the biding process.
At present, country as a pilot telecom testing lab at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore which develops test standards, processes and test tools. The centre will continue to operate as a small research set up even as DoT sets up new test centres.
