Sanchar Saathi to be mandatory on all new phones; know the top three reasons
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Indian government has taken a major step to ensure the safety of mobile users and curb the growing cybercrime. The Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a directive that all new smartphones sold in the country will now be required to have the "Sanchar Saathi" app pre-installed. This rule will apply to both Made in India (Made in India) and imported handsets.
According to department officials, the primary objective of this decision is to simplify the fraud complaint process for users. Currently, users must visit a website to report mobile theft or fraud, which often results in delays. Having the app on their phone will reduce response times.
Officials said the portal is quite high-tech. Users will no longer need to remember or look up their IMEI number when reporting through the app; the system will automatically detect it.
What features will the app offer?
The 'Sanchar Saathi' platform, which was successfully launched in May 2023, is now being introduced as a must-have app to enhance user security and convenience. The app will provide users with several important features, including the ability to instantly block lost or stolen phones, preventing data misuse. Additionally, users will be able to see how many mobile connections are active in their name. When purchasing a new handset, the app will help verify the authenticity of the phone. To curb fraud, users will now be able to easily report suspicious calls, spam messages, or malicious web links. A special feature allows complaints about fraudulent international calls originating from Indian numbers to be filed without OTP verification, effectively curbing digital fraud.
The success statistics of Sanchar Saathi speak volumes. According to the website, over 42.14 lakh stolen or lost mobile phones have been blocked under this initiative so far. 26.11 lakh handsets have been traced. Additionally, approximately 2.88 crore people have submitted requests to check the connections registered in their name, of which 2.54 crore cases have been resolved.