Private mobile operators like Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices can restart providing video calls as part of their 3G services in the New Year. This comes after the security imbroglio between the operators and the security agencies was resolved a couple of days back with the former giving an undertaking that within the next six months, they would start providing real-time interception of video calls. Currently, such calls can be monitored with a time lag of five to eight minutes, prompting security agencies to ask the operators to stop providing video calls.
A tripartite agreement is being drafted between the security agencies, telecom industry associations and the DoT that real-time monitoring of such calls will be available in the next six months failing which such calls will be barred.
gibreel ferishta on 07 Jan 11The government will soon issue guidelines to address security concerns over 3G video calls. "3G issue is almost resolved. Soon you will have new guidelines," communications and IT minister Kapil Sibal said. Yesterday, home minister P Chidambaram had said that telecom service providers neeed to work out the modalities to provide interception facilities to the security agencies, and only after that can the 3G mobile services be rolled out. The department of telecommunications (DoT) had asked Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications to stop commercial launch of 3G mobile services, including video calling facility. The law enforcement agencies were not able to intercept the video calls on a real time basis. The contents of video calls were displayed only after five minutes. The operators had offered to provide an interception solution in the next six months.