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Nadra, telcos to launch new biometric verification system(Flare (Pakistan) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) NADRA has demonstrated its services and applications to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Cellular Mobile Operators including representatives of Mobilink, Telenor, Ufone, Warid and Zong. In order to set up biometric systems at 10,000 outlets, each telecom company will have to invest approximately Rs500 million just to install the equipment The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has successfully prepared a robust and authentic biometric verification system for telecom opera-tors and is ready to launch it on February 28, this year. In a statement issued, the Nadra said that all telecom operators had earlier agreed with the prime minister to launch biometric verification system for the issuance of SIMs from February28. According to the statement, the new verification system will require each citizen to approach retailer, franchise or customer service centers of cellular operators personally and provide his/her fingerprints for authentication against CNIC data held with Nadra. On successful transaction, SIM will be activated. All this operation will be performed online and will take 15 seconds end to end. Moreover, security related segments believe that such measures will help the government curb the use of illegally issued SIMs for terrorism, extortions and street crimes. Pakistan has significantly high cellular density. Although mobile phones have changed the dynamics of communication means, their misuse has created security risk. Prior to biometric verification services, methods adopted to regulate SIMs’ issuance were prone to frauds. Now, with the fingerprint matching facility, it is expected that the same will bring authenticity and will reduce the risk of SIM issuance against fake identity to almost zero. In this regard, NADRA has demonstrated its services and applications to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Cellular Mobile Operators including representatives of Mobilink, Telenor, Ufone, Warid and Zong. The proof of the concept has been carried out with some telecom operators. A draft contract has already been forwarded containing minute details of this operation. Nadra has proposed flexible architecture to telecom industry with its recommendations on the basis of security and performance. Nadra has requested the telecom operators to finalise the contract and deployment plans so that the target date of February 28 is achieved amicably. The cellular operators and NADRA have yet to finalise the online verification charges of subscribers’ data for issuance of SIMs through biometric system despite the fact that the deadline for implementation is a few weeks away. Sources in the telecom industry said that operators are trying to engage telecom authority to set low charges for verification of subscribers’ data and fingerprints in order to reduce their cost of operation. A cellular operator has to invest a hefty amount on the purchase of equipments at thousands of sales points therefore we want the government and its authority to offer affordable rates. The government is pushing the biometric verification plan as it sees this as another avenue to make money off the telecom sector. Nadra also intends to sell SIMs at its eSahulat facilities, which will increase walk-ins and usage of their facilities. Besides, they will also earn an additional commission per transaction on the sale of SIMs NADRA charges Rs 17 per SIM verification on 789 system presently however the cost seems to be increased if the subscribers’ authentication will be carried out under the new system. The charges should be reasonable for cellular operators because the SIMs are sold in millions every months, an official of the cellular operator said. Besides millions of old SIMs are likely to be verified again which are currently unregistered. He said that cellular sector sought amicable negotiation with NADRA because it has the rightto make revenues against its services. On the other hand, PTA should help operators in negotiation for low charges against verification of subscribers SIMs for SIM sale. Cellular phone companies were asked to deploy a biometric verification system for issuance of SIM by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Asharf in November to continue sales of SIM at retail outlets from February 28 onwards, the deadline of new SIM issuance system. The operators were asked to stop sale of SIMs on thousands of retail centres whereas they were allowed to continue their sales at their franchises and customer care centres. Sources in NADRA said a software programme has been prepared for verification of subscribers’ data along with fingerprints, which will be sold out to cellular operators in the coming weeks but no negotiation has been done on the charges of subscriber’s verifications. In order to set up biometric systems at 10,000 outlets, each telecom company will have to invest approximately Rs500 million just to install the equipment. Each unit is estimated to cost more than Rs50,000 exclusive of maintenance cost. Since Nadra is the only agency that provides for biometric verification, the implementation of this system will see it earning more than Rs2.5 billion from all CMOs put together, a telecom company official has said on the condition of anonymity. According to another official at a telecom company, Nadra has fleeced the telcos earlier too with a similar move. “Previously, Nadra used to charge us Rs7 to verify each CNIC. But to force us to agree to a price hike, it began to delay the information required by the CMOs. This left us with no choice but to agree to pay Rs25 per record.” According to this official, the government is pushing the biometric verification plan as it sees this as another avenue to make money off the telecom sector. “Nadra also intends to sell SIMs at its eSahulat facilities, which will increase walk-ins and usage of their facilities. Besides, they will also earn an additional commission per transaction on the sale of SIMs.” |