After repeated warning by the Government, that 100% verification of every customer is very important for the interest of the country’s security. According to a Home Ministry report, Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM) have imposed the penalty till January 2011 on various telecom service providers operating in different licence service areas for non-compliance of subscriber verification guidelines.
“Consultations are regularly held with the service providers to streamline the guidelines. Apart from the fine, wherever the shortcoming is serious in nature and whenever necessary, local police even register cases against the defaulter,” a Home Ministry official said.
Earlier there have been cases where terrorists have used mobile cell phones with connections that were given without any verification or details.
Pre-paid mobile connections in Jammu and Kashmir had once been suspended by the Centre due to the non-compliance of the government rules. Cellular services to nearly 38 million pre-paid cell phone subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir, who comprise 60 per cent of total clientele in the state, was restored only after seven telecom operators; Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Idea Cellular, Aircel, Tata Teleservices, Reliance Communications and state-run BSNL promised full compliance with the verification process.