Lok Sabha Question No. 1538 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-29
Subject: TERM Cells
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1538**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 29** **TH** **JULY, 2015**

**TERM CELLS**

**1538.  SHRIMATI KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA:**

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state

(a) 	the details of functions of the Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM) cells;

(b) 	the number of TERM cells established as on date, State-wise;

(c)	 whether the TERM cells evaluate the compliance of the Telecom Service Providers to the Electro Magnetic Field Norm; and

(d) 	if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon?

ANSWER

**THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)**

(a) 		Madam, with the liberalization of telecom sector, the Government felt the need for presence of Telegraph Authority in all the license service areas and large telecom districts of the country, in order to ensure that service providers adhere to the license conditions and compliance to telecom network security issues. To address these issues, the Government created Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring (TERM) Cells in a phased manner. The details of major functions performed by TERM Cells are as below:

1. Inspections of licensed Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and other registered service providers to check compliance of terms and conditions of the license/registration.
2. Analysis of Call/subscription of traffic data for unearthing illegal telecom operations and Curbing of illegal activities by licensed/ registered service providers.
3. Audit of Customer Acquisition Forms (CAF) of TSPs to ensure compliance in view of national security.

Contd…2/-

-2-

1. Testing of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites to ensure compliance of Electro Magnetic Field (EMF) radiation exposure limits prescribed by Department of Telecom (DoT).
2. To ascertain that the licensee is providing the services within the permitted area.
3. Testing of Roll-out obligations of various TSPs as per License conditions.
4. Redressal of Public Grievances received from various sources.
5. Co-ordination with TSPs in the event of natural calamities or other emergency situations for Disaster Management for early restoration of services.
6. Acceptance testing of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) networks of TSPs/ Mobile Number Portability Operators (MNPOs).
7. To check network data for additional allotment of Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) codes to Access Service Providers.
8. Coordination with state government on telecom related matters including assistance during natural calamities.
9. Interaction and Coordination with Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in any security related matter for expeditious resolution of matter.

(b) 		At present, there are 34 TERM Cells which are functioning in different states across the country. State-wise list of number of TERM Cells is placed at **Annexure-I.**

(c) & (d)	One of the major functions of TERM Cells is to evaluate the compliance of the TSPs to the Electro Magnetic Field Norms. In this regard, DoT has instructed TSPs to submit self certificates for all the existing BTSs sites on biennial basis (i.e. after 2 years for period ending 31.03.2011, 31.03.2013, 31.03.2015 and so on) to ensure that the EMF radiation of all the BTSs are within permissible limits. In addition to this, self certificates are also required to be submitted by TSPs before commercial radiation of new BTS as well as on up-gradation of existing BTS that they are compliant to EMF norms.

TERM Cells have been mandated to carry out audit of up to 10% of the BTSs annually on random basis to cross-check EMF radiation exposure norms in addition to conducting testing of BTSs based on the complaints received from various sources.

As on 31.05.2015, a total of 2,09,514 number of BTSs have been tested by various TERM Cells to check the compliance of TSPs to the EMF norms as prescribed by DoT, out of which a total of 186 BTSs were found non-compliant to EMF radiation norms.

TERM Cells impose applicable financial penalties on TSPs as per DoT guidelines issued from time to time for non-compliant BTSs found during testing.

**Contd…3/-**

**-3-**

| **Annexure-I**                                                                   |                           |                       |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|
| **List of TERM Cells established as on date state-wise**  **(As on 20.07.2015)** |                           |                       |
| **Sl. No.**                                                                      | **STATE**                 | **No. of TERM CELLS** |
| 1                                                                                | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 1                     |
| 2                                                                                | Andhra Pradesh            | 2                     |
| 3                                                                                | Assam                     | 1                     |
| 4                                                                                | Bihar                     | 1                     |
| 5                                                                                | Chhattisgarh              | 1                     |
| 6                                                                                | Delhi                     | 1                     |
| 7                                                                                | Gujarat                   | 2                     |
| 8                                                                                | Haryana                   | 1                     |
| 9                                                                                | Himachal Pradesh          | 1                     |
| 10                                                                               | Jammu and Kashmir         | 1                     |
| 11                                                                               | Jharkhand                 | 1                     |
| 12                                                                               | Karnataka                 | 2                     |
| 13                                                                               | Kerala                    | 1                     |
| 14                                                                               | Maharashtra               | 3                     |
| 15                                                                               | Madhya Pradesh            | 1                     |
| 16                                                                               | Meghalaya                 | 1                     |
| 17                                                                               | Nagaland                  | 1                     |
| 18                                                                               | Odisha                    | 1                     |
| 19                                                                               | Punjab                    | 1                     |
| 20                                                                               | Rajasthan                 | 2                     |
| 21                                                                               | Tamil Nadu                | 2                     |
| 22                                                                               | Uttar Pradesh             | 3                     |
| 23                                                                               | Uttarakhand               | 1                     |
| 24                                                                               | West Bengal               | 2                     |
| **Total**                                                                        |                           | **34**                |

**********************