Govt launches AI-powered portal 'Sanchar Saathi' to find lost phones, fake phone numbers

Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & IT and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, launched a citizen-centric portal called 'Sanchar Saathi' today. The portal aims to provide various reforms and services related to mobile connections and telecommunications. The new service can be accessed at https://sancharsaathi.gov.in.

During the launch, the Minister highlighted three significant reforms that are being undertaken as part of the portal's framework. The first reform is the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), which enables the tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones anywhere in the country.

The second reform is called Know Your Mobile (KYM), which allows users to check the number of mobile connections issued in their name by logging in using their mobile number. This feature helps identify any unauthorized or unwanted connections, which can be blocked immediately.

The third reform introduced through the Sanchar Saathi portal is the Artificial Intelligence & Facial Recognition (ASTR) powered solution for telecom SIM subscriber verification. This AI-based technology facilitates mobile connection analysis and includes features such as IMEI-based phone theft information messaging to law enforcement agencies and the owner. It also enables blocking of any number associated with a particular IMEI and the tracking of stolen mobile devices. Additionally, the system informs users if the same IMEI number has been used previously when purchasing a mobile phone.

The implementation of artificial intelligence in identifying fraud cases is another crucial aspect of the portal. Utilizing an AI-powered tool developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Param Siddhi supercomputer, the system has analyzed 87 crore mobile connections, identified 40 lakh suspected mobile numbers, deactivated 36 lakh mobile numbers, and blacklisted over 40,000 Point of Sales (PoS) devices involved in fraudulent activities. Noteworthy cases include instances where multiple connections were taken against the same image of the subscriber, but with different names.

In one case 6,800 connections were taken against the same image of the subscriber (same face, different names). In another case, 5,300 connections were taken against the same image (same face, different names) 

The Sanchar Saathi portal and its reforms aim to enhance transparency, security, and accountability in the telecom sector. By leveraging technology and artificial intelligence, it provides citizens with tools to protect their mobile connections and combat fraudulent activities.

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