Department of Telecommunications

September 8, 2026 5:22 PM

FRI prevents suspected cyber fraud losses of over Rs 5,000 crore in 15 months

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has prevented suspected cyber fraud losses of more than ₹5,000 crore through its Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) in the 15 months since its launch on May 22, 2025, marking a major expansion in efforts to protect citizens from digital financial fraud. The milestone marks a decisive scaling-up of an initiative that had prevented ₹660 crore of losses in its first six months of operation. It reflects the growing role of telecom intelligence in shi...

August 15, 2026 5:56 PM

India to host BRICS ICT Track in Pune from August 17-21

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will host the BRICS ICT Track in Pune from August 17 to 21 as part of India’s BRICS Chairship for 2026, bringing together Communications Ministers, senior government officials and technology experts from member countries to strengthen cooperation in information and communication technologies. The five-day programme will be held under the theme “Innovate, Cooperate and Transform (ICT) for a Resilient Future” and will focus on building secure, incl...

August 10, 2026 8:17 PM

TRAI rolls out 1601-series numbers for utility, courier and logistics service calls

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has initiated the phase-wise implementation of the 1601-series numbering system for service and transactional voice calls by entities in sectors other than banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) and government organisations. The move is aimed at helping consumers distinguish legitimate service and transactional calls from potentially fraudulent calls made using ordinary 10-digit mobile numbers, while strengthening trust in voice-based c...

July 9, 2026 4:34 PM

DoT’s Samriddh Gram Wins WSIS Prize 2026 for Driving Rural Digital Transformation

The Department of Telecommunications' (DoT) flagship rural digital transformation initiative, Samriddh Gram: Integrated Phygital Service Delivery Model Enabled by BharatNet, has won the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2026 under Action Line C6 – Enabling Environment. The award was presented during the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva, recognising India's model of using digital public infrastructure and telecom connectivity to deliver integrated services in rural areas. �...

May 26, 2026 1:55 PM

PM-WANI gets major upgrade with QR-based login, short-duration plans

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Tuesday introduced a series of citizen-friendly reforms under the PM-WANI (Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) framework aimed at making public Wi-Fi simpler, faster and more accessible across the country. The reforms include QR-based authentication for laptops and secondary devices, introduction of flexible short-duration Wi-Fi plans, and standardisation of PM-WANI hotspot names for easier identification and improved reliability. Un...

March 20, 2026 10:25 PM

DoT invites startups, students for 5G Hackathon with ₹50 lakh funding support

The Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Communications has launched the second edition of the 5G Innovation Hackathon 2026 to promote next-generation telecom solutions and accelerate digital transformation. The national-level hackathon, organised under the ‘100 5G Use Case Labs’ initiative, aims to encourage the development of innovative and scalable solutions leveraging 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and related technologies. The programme in...

January 6, 2026 3:24 PM

NHAI seeks urgent steps to improve mobile connectivity on National Highways

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has sought urgent intervention from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to address persistent mobile network connectivity gaps across several stretches of National Highways, particularly in greenfield and remote areas. In a communication to DoT and TRAI, NHAI highlighted the public safety risks and strategic importance of ensuring reliable mobile connectivity along highway corridors. It c...

November 17, 2025 3:46 PM

DoT cautions manufacturers and sellers on mandatory IMEI registration; consequences of tampering

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has cautioned manufacturers, brand owners, importers and resellers of telecom equipment, reminding them of mandatory International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) registration requirements and warning of severe penalties for IMEI tampering under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024. According to the DoT, IMEI regulation is critical for safeguarding telecom networks, preventing counterfeit devices and strengthenin...

October 17, 2025 4:31 PM

Jyotiraditya Scindia calls Northeast as India’s ‘Growth Engine,’ showcases major developments in one year

Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday described the Northeast as India’s “growth engine,” highlighting a year of record achievements in investment, infrastructure, governance, and connectivity. He was addressing a joint media briefing on the one-year achievements (August 2024-September 2025) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), Department of Posts and Department of Telecommunications. The event,...

September 30, 2025 3:09 PM

Over 6 lakh lost and stolen mobile phones recovered via DoT’s Sanchar Saathi platform

The Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) flagship digital safety initiative Sanchar Saathi has achieved a major milestone, facilitating the recovery of more than 6 lakh lost and stolen mobile phones across India. The Block Your Lost/Stolen Mobile Handset facility, a core feature of the AI-powered Sanchar Saathi platform, integrates DoT, telecom service providers, and state/UT police in real time. Built on the theme Digital by Design, the platform enables citizens to report, block, trace, a...