COAI Urges for Unified Cybersecurity Rules for Telecom and OTT Platforms

COAI calls for harmonized cybersecurity and regulatory frameworks for telecom operators and OTT communication apps to combat spam and fraud. The association highlights challenges in tracing illegal activities on OTT platforms and welcomes the IT Ministry's efforts to address spam and scams transitioning to digital platforms.

The Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) has advocated for uniform cybersecurity and regulatory measures across telecom operators and Over-The-Top (OTT) communication applications. In a recent statement, COAI emphasized the need to address the growing concern of spam calls and messages, proposing a unified framework for compliance and enforcement.

The association highlighted the challenges in tracing illegal activities, as users can manipulate OTT apps across multiple devices, circumventing traditional telecom monitoring. Current limitations make it difficult to track activities of OTT applications running on different handsets, which complicates enforcement efforts.

COAI praised the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's initiative to mitigate scams via OTT platforms. In a nod to this effort, SP Kochhar, the Director General of COAI, noted the ministry's recognition of fraud shifting from telecom networks to digital platforms, stressing the importance of overseeing applications beyond merely holding telecom operators accountable.

(With inputs from agencies.)