The telecommunications companies have been hesitating to implement the telecommunications traffic monitoring and fraud control system (TERAMOX) 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 for making 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 although the technology was being implemented for the quality service to consumers, misleading information was spread on it.

He further said it was unnecessarily rumoured that TERAMOX was introduced to tap individual’s SMS, call details and surreptitiously collect sensitive data. Khanal refuted the news report made with such messages. “TERAMOX 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 not right/jurisdiction at all to intercept customers’ SMS and call details. It can be viewed only after court order and with cooperation of related service provider. If the NTA had purchased the technology that could intercept call details, it would cost double. In the wake of media reports on the latest purchase, the NTA has issued a white paper on TERAMOX technology, its features and functions.  “The TERAMOX 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 TERAMOX technology not only monitors service quality but also recommends compensation to the customers. It further makes companies accountable to customers and State, NTA asserts. Also monitored by the TERAMOX are call bypass and declined telecom services. It has been shared that number of customers to telecommunication companies is declining, thereby denting income of late. “TERAMOX technology would be useful to study why the income was lessening while use of data was on rise,” Khanal viewed. As per 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.