The COAI’s letter cautioned that if this practice remains unchecked, it might promote the use of unmonitored pathways, potentially posing security threats
Microsoft and Amazon, among other major tech giants, have switched their enterprise communications from SMS to WhatsApp and other unregulated platforms. This move has caused concern and drawn criticism from India’s leading telecom entities—Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone-Idea—united under the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).
In a letter addressed to the telecom secretary Neeraj Mittal, the COAI accused these global corporations of evading legal telecom channels by using WhatsApp and Telegram to message Indian customers. They alleged that this circumvention of approved pathways violates licensing and security standards, resulting in an estimated annual revenue loss of approximately Rs 3,000 crore for both the government and the service providers.
The COAI urged the government to designate WhatsApp and Telegram as unsuitable platforms for enterprise communication, especially concerning time-sensitive, one-time authentication passwords. They stressed that using Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms neglects licensing norms and established regulations, diverting traffic away from SMS towards these platforms. The industry body argued that this shift not only impacts revenue but also affects security measures, particularly due to the use of end-to-end encryption by these platforms.
The COAI’s letter cautioned that if this practice remains unchecked, it might promote the use of unmonitored pathways, potentially posing security threats. Further, the telecom companies highlighted that businesses are utilising these unregulated platforms to bypass charges related to international enterprise alerts. Unlike the regulated SMS route that adheres to specific regulations, the OTT platforms are not bound by these rules, making it simpler to send unsolicited messages without following customer consent guidelines.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has alleged that these tech giants are skirting legal telecom channels by utilising unregulated platforms like WhatsApp to dispatch business messages to clients. COAI, in a missive addressed to the telecom secretary, contends that this conduct breaches licensing and security regulations, potentially leading to a decrease in government and telecom firm revenues. COAI additionally cautions that this practice might pose a national security risk and could result in a projected revenue decline of Rs 3,000 crore. Telecommunication companies have specifically underscored the utilisation of unlicensed pathways for sending international messages.
