KATHMANDU, Aug 22: 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 services.

The NTA had brought the technology for over Rs 3 billion for making telecommunication services credible and qualitative. Although three data centers 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 said although the technology was being implemented for providing quality service to consumers, misleading information about the technology was spread on it. He further said it was unnecessarily rumored that TERAMOX was introduced to tap individuals’ SMS, call details and surreptitiously collect sensitive data.

Khanal refuted such news reports. "TERAMOX has been  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 the law," he shared. The NTA has no right/jurisdiction at all to intercept customers' SMS and calls. Access to such data will be made only after a court order and in cooperation with the related service provider.

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

"TERAMOX technology has been brought in a bid to monitor whether the service provider has collected the fees as per the rule. It helps us know whether telecommunications companies have provided quality services to the customers," Khanal reiterated.

It has been shared that the number of customers of telecommunication companies has been 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 a report of the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police, Nepal lost more than Rs 12 billion in revenue from 2068 BS to 2076 BS due to call bypass.

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