Lok Sabha Question No. 1834 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-09
Subject: Unknown Subscribers
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: T.G. VENKATESH BABU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1834 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 th  DECEMBER, 2015 UNKNOWN SUBSCRIBERS

## 1834. SHRI VENKATESH BABU T.G.:

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

- (a) whether identity of a large number of mobile subscribers particularly the prepaid ones are still unknown;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  any  direction  has  been  issued  by  the  Government  to  the  telecom companies failing to verify the identity of subscribers; and
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof along with the penalties imposed on such companies, company-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) to (d) Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have been mandated by Department of Telecom  (DoT)  to  carry  out  adequate  verification  of  each  &  every  Customer  before enrolling  them  as  subscribers  by  verifying  their  identity  with  specified  documents  for Proof of Identity (PoI) and Proof of Address (PoA). The subscriber verification process has  evolved  with  passage  of  time  and  consequently  DoT  has  been  issuing  various guidelines  to  TSPs  in  this  regard  to  strengthen  the  verification  process.  The  existing instructions  on  subscriber  verification  dated  09.08.2012  have  been  issued  by  DoT  in consultation with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

In order to ensure adherence of these DoT instructions by all TSPs, the Telecom  Enforcement, Resource  &  Monitoring (TERM)  Cells carry out sample verification of Customer Acquisition Form (CAF) and related documents of the acquired customers, by all TSPs, on monthly basis, by generating random samples of 0.1 % of the  customer  base  at  the  end  of  each  month  and  cross  verify  the  same  against  the entries of the database submitted by the TSP and details as mentioned by the customer in the copy of CAFs and supporting documents for all such samples. The sample size in respect  of  J&K,  NE  and  Assam  Service  Areas  is  0.2%  on  quarterly  basis.  This verification  process  by  TERM  Cells  brings  out  non-compliant  cases  where  DoT guidelines were violated by TSPs in acquiring the customer which may include cases where  identities  of  subscribers  are  not  properly  verified.  The  random  sample  CAF verification process carried out by TERM Cells on monthly basis of each TSP is being done since April, 2007. As on 30.09.2015, out of total of 6.87 crores CAFs audited, a total of 39.04 lakhs CAFs were found non-compliant by TERM Cells during such CAF verification  process.  The  Licensed  Service  Area  (LSA)  wise  details  are  enclosed  at

## Annexure-I.

For  all  cases  of  non-compliant  CAFs,  TERM  Cells  have  taken  actions which include imposition of penalty on non-compliant CAFs and filing of complaints/FIR against  apparently  forged  cases.  In  addition,  in  case  of  non-compliant  CAF,  Service Provider has to either disconnect the connection or submit the compliant CAF to TERM Cells within 72 hrs.

As on 30.09.2015, total penalty imposed on different TSPs for violation of CAF  verification  norms  is  approx  Rs.  2513.44  Crores.  The  TSP  wise  details  are enclosed at Annexure-II.

## Annexure-I

| Sr. No.   | License Service Area   | Total number of CAFs audited by TERM Cells as on 30.09.2015   | Total number of Non Compliant CAFs found by TERM Cells as on 30.09.2015   |
|-----------|------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh         | 48,77,961                                                     | 3,04,145                                                                  |
| 2         | Assam                  | 10,98,030                                                     | 96,842                                                                    |
| 3         | Bihar                  | 44,21,904                                                     | 1,54,051                                                                  |
| 4         | Chennai                | 7,10,124                                                      | 33,990                                                                    |
| 5         | Delhi                  | 31,64,193                                                     | 1,42,570                                                                  |
| 6         | Gujarat                | 36,99,646                                                     | 1,97,143                                                                  |
| 7         | Haryana                | 18,10,794                                                     | 75,636                                                                    |
| 8         | Himachal Pradesh       | 6,17,843                                                      | 22,615                                                                    |
| 9         | Jammu & Kashmir        | 3,74,542                                                      | 50,800                                                                    |
| 10        | Karnataka              | 40,99,208                                                     | 76,775                                                                    |
| 11        | Kerala                 | 24,82,552                                                     | 1,44,582                                                                  |
| 12        | Kolkata                | 20,05,083                                                     | 3,86,546                                                                  |
| 13        | Madhya Pradesh         | 39,06,159                                                     | 3,86,706                                                                  |
| 14        | Maharashtra            | 52,36,849                                                     | 1,95,828                                                                  |
| 15        | Mumbai                 | 27,41,368                                                     | 1,19,508                                                                  |
| 16        | North East             | 4,88,241                                                      | 29,134                                                                    |
| 17        | Odisha                 | 19,21,778                                                     | 95,029                                                                    |
| 18        | Punjab                 | 24,96,702                                                     | 2,33,061                                                                  |
| 19        | Rajasthan              | 40,44,194                                                     | 3,14,112                                                                  |
| 20        | Tamil Nadu             | 57,77,287                                                     | 2,10,239                                                                  |
| 21        | UP East                | 53,57,415                                                     | 3,00,085                                                                  |
| 22        | UP West                | 39,58,305                                                     | 1,93,524                                                                  |
| 23        | West Bengal            | 34,12,271                                                     | 1,41,422                                                                  |
|           | Grand Total            | 6,87,02,449                                                   | 39,04,343                                                                 |

Contd…….3/-

## Annexure-II

| Sr. No.   | Name of TSP                     | Total Financial Graded Penalty imposed on account of violation of CAF norms as on 30.09.2015 (in Rs.)   |
|-----------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | AIRCEL/Dishnet                  | 505,26,96,055                                                                                           |
| 2         | Allianz/Etisalat                | 60,35,405                                                                                               |
| 3         | Airtel/BHL                      | 313,92,26,150                                                                                           |
| 4         | BSNL                            | 513,90,63,153                                                                                           |
| 5         | Idea/ABTL                       | 165,63,41,712                                                                                           |
| 6         | LOOP/BPL                        | 54,72,000                                                                                               |
| 7         | MTNL                            | 10,05,85,000                                                                                            |
| 8         | QTL(HFCL)                       | 3,39,04,000                                                                                             |
| 9         | Reliance                        | 468,78,81,129                                                                                           |
| 10        | Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd. | 52,85,44,608                                                                                            |
| 11        | STEL                            | 10,91,74,000                                                                                            |
| 13        | TATA                            | 214,02,91,000                                                                                           |
| 14        | Uninor                          | 14,06,47,644                                                                                            |
| 15        | Videocon                        | 1,57,38,895                                                                                             |
| 16        | Vodafone                        | 237,88,65,166                                                                                           |
|           | Grand Total                     | 2513,44,65,917                                                                                          |

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