With the government moving towards mandatory testing of telecom equipments amid security concerns, the telecom companies are pitching for universal application of trusted sources norms to all devices which connect to the network.
Extending the scope of trusted sources norms to other devices means that mobile phones, internet of things (IoT) devices such as sensors, voice assistant; equipment used in unlicensed communication frequencies such as smart meters, Wi-Fi products, etc, would come under the ambit, according to experts.
Trusted source norms were notified under the National Security Directive on Telecom Sector in December 2020. The norms made it mandatory for the telecom companies and licensed importers of telecom products to procure equipment from designated countries which do not pose threat to India’s national security. While the government did not officially declare, the move aimed at barring Chinese equipment imports owing to national security concerns.
“A network is as strong as its weakest element. Bringing only a part of the system under a testing regime does not make any sense. If today, a telecom operator wants to buy switches, it has to go for clearances but what about those using unlicensed spectrum?” said SP Kochhar, director general of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). The association represents major telecom operators such as Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea.
Kochhar has expressed concerns over telecom equipment such as Wi-Fi routers, switches being bought from e-commerce websites such as Amazon and nobody can stop them from coming on the network. The moment it comes on the network, there are security issues which get attached to that, Kochhar explained.
The telecom companies had written to the government about the issue two years back and is again planning to send its representation on the issue soon.
Post the National Security Directive, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) last year banned the use of non-trusted telecom gear for expansion of communications networks in the country.
In the notification, DoT had said. “With effect from June 15, 2021, the licencee shall only connect trusted products in its network and also seek permission from designated authority for upgrade or expansion of existing network utilising the telecommunication equipment not designated as trusted products.”
Lately, the telecom companies are also pushing the government to extend the deadline for mandatory testing and certification of telecommunication equipments (MTCTE) norms.
The guidelines provide that every telecom equipment must undergo mandatory testing and certification before it is put to sale and used for network roll-outs. Currently, the deadline for the regime to commence is July 1, 2023.