The Department of Telecommunications has mandated smartphone makers like Apple, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi to pre install the Sanchar Saathi app on their new devices to be launched in India. The cybersecurity app, which was launched earlier in the year, will also have to be pushed to already manufactured devices via software updates.
The Union government has given a 90 day timeline for smartphone makers to complete the implementation and submit the report in 120 days. The department says this initiative is aimed at curbing misuse of telecom resources for cyber frauds and ensuring telecom cyber security.
In case this is the first time you are hearing about the Sanchar Saathi app, here’s everything you need to know about it and the permissions it could ask for on your new device.
What is Sanchar Saathi?
Sanchar Saathi is a government run app which is a successor to the portal by the same name. The app is available on both iOS and Android and has been downloaded over 5 million times since its launch.
Once the app is installed on their device, users can block lost or stolen mobile phones across all telecom networks in the country. This allows law enforcement agencies to trace its location whenever the blocked device is used anywhere in the country.
The app also allows users to check all the mobile connections that are registered under their name and report the ones that do not belong to them.
There is also a Chakshu facility in the app which gives users the option to report fraudulent calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages.
As for the reason behind pre loading the app on your new device, the government says: “TCS Rules empower the Central Government to issue directions to manufacturers of telecommunication equipment bearing International Mobile Equipment Identity number to provide assistance as required in relation to tampered telecommunication equipment or IMEI number. The Rules also mandate that such manufacturers or importers shall ensure compliance with the directions issued by the Central Government for the purpose of giving effect to the rules.”
“Mobile handsets bearing duplicate or spoofed IMEI pose serious endangerment to telecom cyber security. Spoofed or tampered IMEIs in a telecom network lead to situations where the same IMEI is working in different devices at different places simultaneously and pose challenges in action against such IMEIs. India has a big second hand mobile device market,” the official notification reads.
“Cases have also been observed where stolen or blacklisted devices are being resold. It makes the purchaser an abettor in crime and causes financial loss. The blocked or blacklisted IMEIs can be checked using the Sanchar Saathi app,” it added.
Initially, it was believed that the Sanchar Saathi app would be uninstallable on new devices but Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has clarified that will not be the case.
What permissions does Sanchar Saathi require?
After installing the Sanchar Saathi app on our Android device, we found that the app requires access to a host of permissions like call logs, camera, notifications, phone calls and SMS. Apart from this, the app obviously requires access to an internet connection to connect with its servers.
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