In a significant move to enhance consumer protection and combat telecom fraud, the Indian government has mandated that all new mobile phones sold in the country must come with the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ application pre-installed. This directive applies to both newly manufactured and imported handsets. The primary objective is to empower citizens by providing easy access to tools for reporting suspicious activities and verifying the authenticity of their devices. The ‘Sanchar Saathi’ initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), aims to strengthen cybersecurity within the telecom sector and prevent the illicit use of communication resources for fraudulent purposes. Mobile manufacturers and importers have a 90-day deadline to implement this change, followed by a 120-day period for submitting compliance reports. The app, once installed, must be readily accessible and fully functional upon the initial device setup, with no restrictions on its features. For devices already in the sales pipeline, manufacturers are encouraged to deploy the app via software updates. The Sanchar Saathi platform offers a suite of features, including IMEI number verification for handset authenticity, reporting of fraudulent communications, tracking lost or stolen phones, and accessing essential contact information for financial institutions.
