Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM)
Agency overview
FormedOctober 2004 (2004-10)
TypeTelecommunications vigilance and monitoring
JurisdictionGovernment of India
Minister responsible
Parent departmentDepartment of Telecommunications (DoT)

Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM), formerly known as Vigilance Telecom Monitoring (VTM), is the vigilance and monitoring wing of the Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT).[1] TERM is made up of 34 Cells in India's 22 telecom circles and 10 large telecom districts,[2] each headed by a Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) level officer, termed as Deputy Director General (DDG).[3] The main functions of TERM Cells are vigilance, monitoring and security of the network.[4][5] Apart from this, TERM Cells also operate the Central Monitoring System (CMS), a clandestine mass electronic surveillance program, and carry out other functions. The TERM Cells function as the subordinate offices of the DoT in the field. These Cells represent the Telegraph Authority and the Licensor.[6]

History

Vigilance Telecom Monitoring Cells (VTM) were created by the Government to control illegal/clandestine telecom operations. Three VTM Cells were set up in October 2004 at Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad, and a fourth cell was created at Chennai the following month. Cells were added at Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (East), and West Bengal in August 2006, and at Andaman and Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, North East-I, North East-II, Orissa, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh (West) in January 2007.[7] Cells were added in March 2007 for Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow and Pune, taking the total number of VTM Cells to 34.[6]

VTM Cells were renamed to Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM) Cells, with effect from 5 August 2008. The Government felt that the new name reflected "the entire gamut of functions assigned to the Cells" and "distinguished their role vis-vis staff-vigilance activities".[4][5]

Functions

TERM Cells analyze and resolve complaints received through the Public Grievance (PG) portal or from other sources. TERM Cells were given the task of checking the compliance of EMF radiation norms, as prescribed by Government, in 2010. TERM Cells collect a fee from operators for carrying out EMF testing.[3] Other functions of TERM Cells are checking mobile spectrum utilization and investigation of complaints regarding telecom and Internet services.[8]

Registration of OSPs

Due to the growth of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in India, the DoT decided to decentralize the registration of Other Service Providers (OSPs), which was being done by the DoT, HQ. The job of registering OSPs and telemarketers was given to TERM Cells. The task of registering telemarketers was later given to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). OSP registrations are done using software developed with the help of the National Informatics Centre (NIC). The website for OSP registration is http://dotosp.gov.in. [3]

Service testing

TERM Cells were given the task of service testing of licensed TSPs in the licensed service area and checking their roll-out obligations as per the license conditions. As per the license agreement, all the TSPs are required to roll out their services within prescribed time periods, which means they have to offer their services in the districts selected by them by a fixed date. This then crosschecked for quality, coverage and other parameters by the DoT which is termed as Service Testing. TERM Cells also issue Service Test Result Certificates (STRCs) against the cases tested by them. Apart from this TERM Cells also send compiled data pertaining to roll out obligation for imposing Liquidated Damage (LD) charges on the TSPs do not comply with roll-out obligation conditions. TERM Cells collect a fee from operators for carrying out testing.[3]

Central Monitoring System

The Central Monitoring System (CMS) is a clandestine mass electronic surveillance program installed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), an Indian Government owned telecommunications technology development centre,[9] and operated by TERM Cells.[3] The CMS gives India's security agencies and income tax officials centralized access to India's telecommunications network[10] and the ability to listen in on and record mobile, landline and satellite[11] calls and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and read private emails, SMS and MMS, geolocate people using Mobile phone tracking,[12] all in real time.[13] It can also monitor posts on social media and Google searches, without any parliamentary or judicial oversight.[14]

List of TERM Cells

There are currently 34 TERM Cells in India's 24 telecom circles and 10 large telecom districts.[2] Each cell is headed by a Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) level officer, termed as Deputy Director General (DDG).[3]

S. No.TERM CellLocation[15]Area of Jurisdiction[4][5]Created
1AhmedabadKhanpur, AhmedabadAhmedabad Telecom DistrictMarch 2007
2Andaman & NicobarPort Blair, Andaman districtAndaman and Nicobar IslandsJanuary 2007
3Andhra PradeshMogalrajpuram, VijayawadaAndhra Pradesh (Telecom Circle), excluding Hyderabad Telecom DistrictJanuary 2007
4AssamPan Bazar, GuwahatiAssam (Telecom Circle)January 2007
5BangaloreSanchar Complex, WMS Compound, Jayanagar 5th Block BangaloreBangalore Telecom DistrictMarch 2007
6BiharTelephone Bhawan, PatnaBiharJanuary 2007
7ChennaiKellys Road, ChennaiChennai (Metro district), Pondicherry (Telecom Districts)November 2004
8ChhattisgarhJaistambh Chowk, RaipurChhattisgarhJanuary 2007
9DelhiNehru Place, New DelhiDelhi, including Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad and GurgaonOctober 2004
10GujaratKhanpur, AhmedabadGujarat, excluding Ahmedabad Telecom DistrictAugust 2006
11HaryanaAmbalaHaryana, excluding Faridabad and GurgaonJanuary 2007
12Himachal PradeshShimlaHimachal PradeshJanuary 2007
13HyderabadHyderabadHyderabad (Telecom District)October 2004
14JaipurJhalana Institutional Area, JaipurJaipur Telecom DistrictMarch 2007
15Jammu and KashmirTrikuta Nagar, JammuJammu and KashmirJanuary 2007
16JharkhandNeori, RanchiJharkhandJanuary 2007
17KarnatakaJayanagar, BangaloreKarnataka, excluding Bangalore Telecom DistrictAugust 2006
18KeralaGandhi Nagar, KochiKerala and LakshadweepAugust 2006
19KolkataSalt Lake City, KolkataKolkata Telecom DistrictMarch 2007
20LucknowGomti Nagar, LucknowLucknow Telecom DistrictMarch 2007
21Madhya PradeshHoshangabad Road, BhopalMadhya PradeshJanuary 2007
22MaharashtraNagpurMaharashtra, excluding Pune Telecom DistrictAugust 2006
23MumbaiAndheri (East), MumbaiMumbai (Metro District)October 2004
24North East-IShillongNorth East-I (Telecom Circle)January 2007
25North East-IIDimapurNorth East-II (Telecom Circle)January 2007
26OrissaBhubaneswarOrissaJanuary 2007
27PuneChurch Road, Pune Camp, PunePune Telecom DistrictMarch 2007
28PunjabMohali, ChandigarhPunjab, including ChandigarhAugust 2006
29RajasthanJhalana Institutional Area, JaipurRajasthan, excluding Jaipur Telecom DistrictAugust 2006
30Tamil NaduBharthi Park Road-II, CoimbatoreTamil NaduAugust 2006
31Uttar Pradesh (East)Gomti Nagar, LucknowUP(E) (Telecom Circle) excluding Lucknow Telecom DistrictAugust 2006
32Uttar Pradesh (West)MeerutUP(W) (Circle) excluding Ghaziabad and NoidaJanuary 2007
33UttaranchalRajpur Road, DehradunUttarakhandJanuary 2007
34West BengalKolkataWest Bengal, excluding Kolkata (Telecom Circle), and SikkimAugust 2006

See also

References

  1. ↑ Thomas K. Thomas (2012-07-30). "Radiation: DoT's monitoring wing to inspect tower sites". Business Line. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  2. 1 2 "Annual Report 2007-2008" (PDF). Department of Telecommunications. Retrieved 2013-07-17. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Annual Report 2012-13" (PDF). Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Retrieved 2013-07-14. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. 1 2 3 "TERM/ Security : Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring (TERM) Cells". Department of Telecommunications. 2008-08-05. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  5. 1 2 3 "TERM Cells". Department of Telecommunications. 2008-08-05. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  6. 1 2 "Annual Report 2008-2009" (PDF). Department of Telecommunications. Retrieved 2013-07-17. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ↑ "Annual Report 2006-2007" (PDF). Department of Telecommunications. Retrieved 2013-07-17. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ↑ "Annual Report 2009-10" (PDF). Department of Telecommunications. Retrieved 2013-07-17. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. ↑ "Annual Report 2011-12" (PDF). Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Retrieved 2013-07-14. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  10. ↑ "Indian monitoring system threatens rights: rights body". Tech2.in.com. 2013-06-12. Archived from the original on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  11. ↑ Joji Thomas Philip (2013-06-21). "Central monitoring system put off till December, telecom test lab to October". Articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  12. ↑ "Government can now snoop on your SMSs, online chats". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  13. ↑ "India: Privacy in peril". Frontline.in. 2013-07-12. Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  14. ↑ "India Ignores NSA Prism Fears and Launches Cyber Surveillance Project". Ibtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-12-10.
  15. ↑ "TERM Cell Contact Details" (PDF). Department of Telecommunications. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
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