Telcos’ security costs surge amid rising data demand

The rising cost of cybersecurity and national security compliance is emerging as a significant burden for India’s telecom operators, as surging data consumption, increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and expanding law-enforcement requirements compel carriers to invest heavily in monitoring, storage and network-security infrastructure.

Industry estimates suggest telecom operators have collectively spent about Rs 2,500 crore over the past five years to meet obligations related to lawful interception systems, data retention, traffic monitoring, location-based services and other security mandates.