Hyderabad, India, November 12, 2025: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, through its Andhra Pradesh Licensed Service Area (AP LSA) headquartered at Hyderabad, has undertaken a series of proactive measures to ensure digital safety, telecom transparency, and citizen empowerment across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
These initiatives—ranging from cyber fraud prevention and mobile security systems to public health safeguards and network quality assessments—demonstrate the Department’s commitment to building a secure, reliable, and citizen-centric telecom ecosystem.
Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR):
Launched nationwide on 17th May 2023, the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) empowers citizens to block, trace, and recover lost or stolen mobile phones using their unique IMEI number.
In Telangana, CEIR has achieved the highest number of handset recoveries in India, with over 1,02,148 lost mobile phones traced and returned to their owners. This success reflects coordinated efforts among AP LSA, law enforcement agencies, and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).
DoT has also conducted outreach and awareness programs, including SMS campaigns and workshops, to educate citizens about the CEIR facility and encourage prompt reporting of lost devices.
Know Your Mobile Connections (KYM)
The “Know Your Mobile Connections” feature enables subscribers to verify all mobile numbers issued in their name. Through this service, citizens can:
- View active connections linked to their identity,
- Report and disconnect unauthorized or unused numbers, and
- Prevent fraudulent use of their identity for SIM acquisition.
This initiative significantly enhances subscriber awareness and digital security.
CHAKSHU – Fighting Fraudulent Communications
The CHAKSHU platform allows citizens to report suspicious calls, SMS, or WhatsApp messages attempting to obtain personal or financial details. Complaints are analyzed by AP LSA in collaboration with TSPs and law enforcement authorities.
Based on CHAKSHU inputs, two major SIMBOX-based cyber fraud operations were recently identified and dismantled in Telangana, preventing large-scale impersonation and fraudulent calls.
Report Incoming International Call with Indian Number (RICWIN)
The RICWIN facility enables citizens to report cases where international calls display Indian caller IDs, often indicating illegal call routing through SIMBOX or SIP-based setups.
In the current year, two such illegal telecom networks in Hyderabad and Vijayawada were detected and dismantled by AP LSA, safeguarding national revenue and telecom security.
Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI):
The FRI module, part of DoT’s Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), supports real-time fraud risk assessment for financial institutions. Mobile numbers are classified as Medium, High, or Very High risk based on intelligence from the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), CHAKSHU, and financial entities.
To date, over 700 institutions nationwide, including 76 Urban Co-operative Banks in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, have been onboarded onto the DIP platform to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions.
EMF Audit
With around 31,000 mobile towers operational in Telangana, DoT has conducted EMF audits on approximately 3,200 towers as part of the annual compliance exercise. All audited sites were found within DoT’s prescribed EMF radiation safety limits, ensuring full compliance and safeguarding public health.
Electro Magnetic Radiation Awareness Sessions
During the current financial year, 8 EMF awareness sessions and 1 All India Radio program were conducted to dispel myths surrounding EMF radiation and enhance public understanding of telecom safety.
Topics included:
- EMF norms and compliance by TSPs
- Myths regarding EMF-related health hazards
- Importance of mobile towers for better coverage
- Demonstration of the Tarang Sanchar Portal – a citizen-centric platform for verifying EMF compliance of mobile towers (https://tarangsanchar.gov.in/emfportal).
Public Grievances on EMF
During the year, 38 public grievances related to EMF radiation were received through CPGRAMS, Tarang Sanchar Portal, and written complaints — all of which were resolved promptly.
Quality of Service (QoS) Drive Test in Hyderabad
A comprehensive QoS drive test covering ~700 km across Hyderabad was conducted from 24th to 27th September 2025 with participation from Airtel, BSNL, Jio, and Vodafone Idea.
The drive covered major routes, airports, bus and railway stations, and dense urban areas. Based on findings, TSPs have strengthened their networks wherever deficiencies were identified.
Customer Application Form (CAF) Audit
The AP LSA, Hyderabad, conducts monthly verification of around 35,000 CAFs across Telangana, covering all major TSPs.
This ensures authentic subscriber onboarding, compliance with DoT norms, and prevention of telecom resource misuse.
Sanchar Saathi Portal
DoT’s Sanchar Saathi Portal (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in) is a flagship citizen empowerment platform enabling users to check and manage their mobile connections.
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, citizens have reported 25.18 lakh mobile numbers, of which 23.65 lakh cases have already been resolved.
Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) Platform
The AI & Data Intelligence Unit (DIU) of DoT has analyzed data from NCRP and Sanchar Saathi portals, identifying 36,49,493 mobile numbers suspected of fraudulent or impersonation activity.
As a result:
- 17,27,096 connections have been disconnected,
- 282 Points of Sale (SIM sellers) have been blacklisted, and
- Police complaints have been filed against 63 retailers involved in issuing fraudulent SIMs.
These actions reflect DoT’s data-driven and proactive approach to telecom security and fraud prevention.
Rural Connectivity and Digital Empowerment Initiatives
DBN Mobile Connectivity Projects
The DBN Mobile Connectivity Projects aim to provide 4G mobile services to all uncovered villages, with special focus on LWE-affected areas. In Telangana, three projects—4G Saturation, LWE Phase-I Upgradation (both by BSNL), and LWE Phase-II (by Airtel)—are under implementation using indigenous 4G technology developed by C-DoT and Tejas Networks.
Objectives:
- Extend 4G coverage to remote and uncovered villages.
- Upgrade 2G/3G-only locations to 4G.
- Promote Atmanirbhar Bharat through Made-in-India 4G equipment.
Impact:
- Enhances digital inclusion and access to e-governance, banking, telemedicine, and education.
- Supports rural entrepreneurship, economic development, and disaster response.
- Bridges the rural–urban digital divide.
Key Achievements in Telangana:
- 4G Saturation: 188 towers commissioned; 223 villages covered.
- Left Wing Extremist Areas (LWE) Phase-I: 133 towers commissioned; 133 villages covered.
- LWE Phase-II: 7 towers commissioned; 7 villages covered.
Overall data usage exceeds 7 lakh GB, reflecting strong adoption.
Samriddh Gram Panchayat Project
The Samriddh Gram Panchayat initiative aims to provide FTTH and high-speed broadband to one Gram Panchayat in each block, leveraging BharatNet to create Model Digital Villages.
Objectives:
- Enable digital literacy and access to government services.
- Promote rural entrepreneurship and women-led micro-enterprises.
- Strengthen Gram Panchayat governance and community participation.
Impact:
- Provides village-level access to services such as Ayushman Bharat, e-Sanjeevani, Aadhaar, and e-NAM.
- Supports income generation, job creation, and skill development.
- Enhances transparency, digital governance, and social development outcomes.
Status in Telangana:
- 258 villages
- Target: Minimum 5 FTTH connections for Government institutions and entrepreneurs, plus 5% household coverage.
Sanchar Mitra 2.0 – Youth Engagement for Telecom Awareness
Under the national Sanchar Mitra 2.0 Programme, DoT is engaging university and engineering college students as “Sanchar Mitras” to promote telecom literacy, cyber-safety, and awareness on issues such as EMF, fraud prevention, and responsible mobile usage.
The AP LSA, Hyderabad Unit has selected 17 universities/engineering colleges and identified 164 Sanchar Mitras. Virtual conferences were conducted on 28.08.2025, 04.09.2025, 11.09.2025, 17.09.2025, and 15.10.2025, along with an additional session by the Media Wing on 14.10.2025.
Students have been oriented on their roles and have expressed willingness to participate in public-awareness programmes after their mid-term examinations.
During the event, Administrator, Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), Department of Telecommunications will sign a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with APSFL, Government of Andhra Pradesh on Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP) on 14 November 2025. Shri Nagesh Rao, Additional DGT, AP LSA, has been nominated as one of the Directors of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for implementation of ABP in Andhra Pradesh and will participate in the summit representing AP LSA, Department of Telecommunications.
Conclusion
Through sustained enforcement, citizen outreach, and innovative technological measures, the Department of Telecommunications, AP LSA, Hyderabad, has demonstrated exemplary performance in ensuring network integrity, public safety, and digital trust.
These initiatives reaffirm DoT’s mission to make India’s telecom ecosystem secure, transparent, and citizen-focused, contributing to the broader vision of a digitally empowered nation.
