6 mn telecom subcribers are unverified: DoT

New Delhi, Oct 21: In a checking spree, a probe by the Department of Telecom has discovered that as many 6 million subscribes out of 300 million subscribers' connections turned out to unverified and based on hoax identity and address proof. The findings are based on the reports of monthly audit. The unverified subscribers and subscribers with fake identity proof will be levied a penalty of Rs 1000 by the government. The failure of the telecom department to provide timely connections and follow due diligence is the reason for such cases.

Communication and IT minister A Raja informed the Lok Sabha on Monday, Oct 20 that instructions for verification were issued to all mobile telephone service providers to ensure adequate verification of all subscribers and to disconnect connections provided without proper verification. However, the minister said DoT"s monthly audit reports revealed that the correct subscriber verification on an average was only 80% where photograph and copies of identity and address proof were found to be in order. “All the service providers are lacking in meeting the requisite compliance of instructions relating to 100 pc subscriber verification," Raja said.

The minister said it was decided “to impose financial penalty of Rs 1,000 per unverified subscriber on the defaulting service providers".

OneIndia News