In a bid to tighten the policies on telecom operators, the Government has informed the service providers that DoT is the final authority to direct operators (private as well as PSUs) to cancel or penalize any agent or franchisee if their conduct found detrimental to the security of the nation.
The move comes on the heels of investigations in a terror incident leading to a case in which a person had acquired nearly 50 SIMs without any proper verification, which was followed by misuse of WiFi Internet wireless technology in Ahmedabad blasts. The step is also seen as a bid to further tighten the grip on terror networks which were using mobile phones for triggering the blasts.

According to sources, DoT has amended all licenses, be it Unified Access Service, Cellular Mobile, Basic or any other type issued on or prior to 2001 saying "the licensor (DoT) shall have the right to direct the licensee (telecom company) to warn, penalize or terminate the franchisee or agent or distributor or servant after considering any report of conduct or antecedents detrimental to the security of the nation."

Enforcing its amendments, DoT has sent a communication to the telecom firms recently incorporating the amendment in their respective licenses and said "the decision of the licensor (DoT) in this regard shall be final and binding." The DoT has also said that the telecom firms shall bear all liabilities in the matter and keep the licensor (DoT) indentified for all claims, cost, charges or damages in this respect. The mobile companies would generally lease out the operations to its franchise where the Government had no control.