Trusted Telecom Portal: Necessity of launching the Portal

The Department of Telecommunications launched the Trusted Telecom Portal for the implementation of the National Security Directive on the Telecommunication Sector.

Government launches Trusted Telecom Portal

The Government launched the Trusted Telecom Portal, i.e., www.trustedtelecom.gov.in, on June 15. 2021. The intention was to signal the coming into effect of the National Security Directive on the Telecommunication Sector (NSDTS).

Objective of the Trusted Telecom Portal

Consequently, from June 15, 2021, The DoT requires every Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) to mandatorily connect their networks only those new devices designated as ‘Trusted Products’ from ‘Trusted Sources.’

Purpose of setting up a Trusted Telecom Portal

The Central Government has made necessary amendments in terms of the TTP Portal to the license conditions for the provision of telecommunication services by the TSPs. The Portal was developed and implemented by CDoT, an R&D unit of the Government. 

Trusted Telecom Portal Developers

The following entities completed the challenging task on schedule despite the debilitating effect throughout the pandemic:

• Development Team of CDoT

• RailTel (Hosting provider)

• NSCS Staff (National Security Council Secretariat)

• The TSPs and respective vendors supporting Stakeholder representatives

Cabinet’s Approval for the Portal

The Union Cabinet had accorded approval for the National Security Directive on Telecommunication Sector on December 16, 2020, which was to come into effect after 180 days of the approval date.

What are Trusted Products?

Trusted Products are products whose critical components as well as products are sourced from Trusted Sources. The Authority will provide the TSPs access to log into the Trusted Telecom Portal. Also, they will indicate the telecom products and the vendor from whom the Telecom Authority intends to procure their equipment. 

Vendor Details

The TSPs and their vendors populate the details of the following into the Trusted Telecom Portal:

• Vendor details

• Products details 

• Critical Components of the equipment

• Sources

The Authority will also provide access to the Portal. 

The Authority makes an assessment of the vendors and the sources of the components to determine Trusted Sources and Trusted products, which it then intimates to the concerned vendor and the applicant TSPs to make their procurements.

Case of Existing Trusted Equipment

The existing directive does not envision the mandatory replacement of the equipment already inducted into the networks of all the legitimate TSPs. Therefore, this directive will also not affect the ongoing AMC, i.e., Annual Maintenance Contracts. Also, the directive has no command over the updates to existing equipment which are already inducted into the network as of the effective date of the Directive. Hence they will not create any disruption to the existing networks due to this pre-existing directive.

Vendor as a Trusted Sources

The National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) is the Designated Authority (DA)for the determination of the inclusion of a vendor as a Trusted Source, of a Telecom product as a Trusted Product, as well as the methodology for the said inclusion. In addition, the Designated Authority makes its determination based on the approval of a committee called the National Security Committee on Telecom (NSCT), headed by the Deputy NSA. Furthermore, the committee comprises members from relevant departments or ministries and has two members from industry and an independent expert