The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has claimed a decline of around 92 percent in grey traffic after the deployment of the Web Management Solution.
The Web Management Solution blocks voice calls coming through unauthorized grey channels.
In 2019, the average monthly Long Distance & International traffic was around 630 million minutes per month. After the deployment of the WMS in March 2020, international incoming voice traffic through legal channels increased to around 757 million minutes per month from January 2020 to July 2021.
A huge decline of about 92 percent in grey SIMs identification was observed between January 2020 and July 2021. Documents also revealed that a total of 515 raids have been conducted since 2008, and over 504,563 SIMs have been blocked for being used in grey telephony.
Grey traffic is the concealment of incoming international telephone calls (traffic) that are terminated on Fixed and Mobile networks through illegal channels and other means to avoid taxes/levies. Additionally, biometric verification is related to the proper issuance of SIMs and is not a direct measure to control grey traffic.
Grey traffic is terminated through mobile connections and fixed line termination channels. Sources revealed that grey trafficking has been reduced significantly but has not been ruled out completely despite biometric verification, and is a serious security threat.
An official revealed that grey SIMs are issued either through the defrauding of people via different means, which includes getting their finger impressions in real-time or by misusing their captured finger impressions on silicon sheets in the offline mode.
To curb the menace of grey traffic, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has adopted a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach, of which some details are:
- The strengthening of BVS to minimize misuse, including the introduction of Live Finger Detect-based BVS machines, broadcasting of SIM count to each subscriber, etc.
- Action against violating sale channels by Cellular Mobile Operators, including the imposition of fines, suspension, and the termination of sale channels.
- The PTA taking action against Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) — show cause notices were served to some mobile operators for the involvement of their sale channels in the issuance of grey SIMs.
- Cases of the issuance of grey SIMs are shared regularly with the Federal Investigation Agency. Based on the information, a number of raids have been conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the PTA resulting in the apprehension of gangs involved in the illegal activation of SIMs.
- To counter grey traffic, the PTA monitors IP bandwidth for the identification of illegal calls brought on the internet and forwards the cases to the FIA for action across the country. This involves extensive investigation and hard work.
- A total of 515 raids against grey traffickers have been conducted with the FIA from August 2018 to date.
- To control grey traffic, the PTA has also deployed technical systems to detect grey calls. The system blocks voice calls coming through unauthorized grey channels.
As a result of these technical and regulatory steps undertaken by the PTA, grey traffic has decreased considerably, while white traffic is also increasing gradually, sources added.
