CHENNAI: Though mobile operators in the city have tightened their subscriber verification procedures in line with the Department of Telecom's (DoT) nation-wide directive a few months ago, persisting systemic flaws could defeat the DoT's objective of a foolproof database.

When calling for a comprehensive recheck of documentary proof of identity and address of all mobile subscribers, the DoT stipulated that the licensee company go the extra mile in cross-verifying the information from the actual user. The DoT whip was on the persuasion of security agencies, which had unearthed irregularities in the issuance of a high proportion of mobile connections in parts of the country.

While mobile operators here have put in place considerably improved subscriber verification protocols, it is feared that the norms could be compromised lower down a retail chain that gets increasingly obscure towards the bottom rungs.

In an intensely competitive market, mobile operators have been issuing active connections on the basis of documentary proof furnished by an applicant. They then complete the physical verification of addressees in the next few days. This practice contravenes in spirit, if not in letter, the license terms stipulating that each operator must carry out adequate documentation and subscriber verification before offering a connection.

Inherent abuse

A recent incident in the city illustrates the potential for abuse inherent in this practice. An office assistant was held by police after he sent obscene messages to a woman using a connection he obtained by furnishing passport size photograph and address proof particulars and a forged signature of his employer. The police also arrested the mobile phone retailer for issuing a SIM card without proper verification.

However, cyber police say that subscriber data is not always easily forthcoming from all mobile operators. The cyber wing, which lacks cutting edge tools to crack crime, has to increasingly rely on the cooperation of operators for subscriber information and logs of call details, it is pointed out. At a recent meeting, police are reported to have asked operators to hand over CDs of subscriber database.

Deactivated abruptly

However, scores of customers of different service providers complain that their connections were deactivated abruptly. A senior citizen of Collector Nagar in Anna Nagar, for instance, noticed that the service provider's logo and signal bars had vanished from his screen one fine morning.

The 65-year-old person, a postpaid customer of CellOne since 2002 and residing at the same address, said he realised his service had been deactivated only when he contacted customer care. The reason for the disconnection was that the dealer who arranged the connection was yet to furnish subscriber documentation. A BSNL official, however, said notice was served prior to disconnection. BSNL's practice is to disconnect outgoing as first step if a subscriber fails to satisfy verification requirements. Usually, data mismatches occur when a person has changed residence.

According to an Airtel official, customers at the point of sale are requested to fill in an application form with photograph and attach a copy of his/her proof of identity and proof of address, which are then matched with originals held by the customer. The form is then sent from point of sale to the distributor who verifies the `completeness' of the documents and once this is ascertained the customer is activated.

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