Sanchar Saathi App Overview
The Sanchar Saathi app was launched in 2023 as a web-only platform to help telecom users report fraudulent phone calls, similar to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s DND app.
Government Directive
- The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has mandated that smartphone manufacturers pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on new devices from March 2026.
- The functionalities of the app must remain enabled and unrestricted.
Purpose and Functionality
- The app is intended to verify the authenticity of IMEIs used in mobile devices to safeguard citizens from purchasing non-genuine handsets.
- It allows easy reporting of suspected misuse of telecom resources, enhancing the initiative's effectiveness.
- The app's dashboard reports 2.48 lakh complaints and 2.9 crore requests to check mobile connections associated with users.
IMEI Concerns
- Spoofed or tampered IMEIs can cause issues, as the same IMEI can be active on different devices simultaneously.
- The app can help identify blocked or blacklisted IMEIs, especially in the second-hand mobile device market where stolen devices may be resold.
Privacy and Security
- The DoT assures that the app does not collect any user data according to its Google Play listing.
- The DoT's SIM-binding directive targets cybercriminals exploiting security gaps for digital frauds.
- There are concerns about apps that continue functioning after the SIM is removed, which the directive aims to address.
Industry Resistance
- Some smartphone manufacturers have resisted mandatory app pre-installation directives globally.
- Apple previously resisted TRAI regulations due to permissions required by the app, eventually providing a solution within iMessage without bulk user data sharing.
Device Recovery
- The Sanchar Saathi portal aids in recovering stolen or lost devices, with a recovery rate reaching 50,000 devices monthly as of October.
