Sanchar Saathi, SIM-binding mandates a privacy concern, may hit business model: Experts

New Delhi|Mumbai: The Centre’s back-to-back directives over the past week to OTT communication platforms and handset makers could threaten their business models, while raising user privacy concerns and potentially disrupting the communication experience, technology industry experts said. Some experts said the executive orders could face legal scrutiny.

In similar directives sent on November 28, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) ordered all OTT communication apps, such as WhatsApp, Telegram and the likes, to remain SIM-bound. Simultaneously, it mandated handset makers to preload the Sanchar Saathi mobile application on devices as part of the Centre’s drive against digital scams and fraudulent calls.