TERAMOCS not for tapping calls, but for quality service: NTA Chair Khanal

Kathmandu: The telecommunications companies have been hesitating to implement the telecommunications traffic monitoring and fraud control system (TERAMOCS) while the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has made it clear that it was brought for quality service.

NTA had brought the technology for over Rs 3 billion to make telecommunication service credible and qualitative. Although three data centres of NCell were connected to the technology, they were not implemented yet, according to NTA chairman Purushottam Khanal. Similarly, Nepal Telecom is also unwilling to install the technology.

Chairman Khanal viewed that although the technology was being implemented for quality service to consumers, misleading information was spread about it. He further said it was unnecessarily rumoured that TERAMOCS was introduced to tap individuals’ SMS, and call details and surreptitiously collect sensitive data.
Khanal refuted the news report made with such messages. “TERAMOCS is brought not for collecting call details and SMS, but for quality enhancement,” he underscored.

According to him, the service-providing companies could read the certificate provided to NTA by the related company. “We purchased the technology in a customized design as per law,” he shared. The NTA has no right/jurisdiction at all to intercept customers’ SMS and call details. It can be viewed only after a court order and with the cooperation of a related service provider.

If the NTA had purchased the technology that could intercept call details, it would have doubled. In the wake of media reports on the latest purchase, the NTA has issued a white paper on TERAMOCS technology, its features and functions.

“The TERAMOCS technology is brought in a bid to monitor whether the service provider has taken fee as per rule. It helps us know whether telecommunications companies have provided quality service to the customers,” Khanal reiterated.

The TERAMOCS technology not only monitors service quality but also recommends compensation to the customers. It further makes companies accountable to customers and the State, NTA asserts. Also monitored by the TERAMOCS are call bypass and declined telecom services.

It has been shared that the number of customers to telecommunication companies is declining, thereby denting income of late.

“TERAMOCS technology would be useful to study why the income was lessening while the use of data was on the rise,” Khanal viewed.

As per the report of the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police, Nepal lost more than Rs 12 billion in revenue from 2068BS to 2076BS due to call bypass.