Possibly prompted by security reasons, the Department of Telecom has moved to check the unregulated flow of incoming text messages on cellphones from overseas through Internet messaging websites.
The department is also issuing directions for blocking access to one such site. The website in question -- www.clickatell.com -- is a US-based bulk SMS messaging gateway.
The DoT is also looking into Spice Telecom's network in Punjab and the company has reportedly blocked access to such websites.
The development comes after the recent cases where SMSes displayed numbers of people who did not actually send the messages. DoT formed a committee to examine the extent of misuse SMS services.
The department has also asked all unified access service license holder and cable modern termination system operators to ensure that an SMS received by their network from foreign Internet networks through short service route does not have India's country code.
The DoT said access to applications of content providers to the short messaging services centre of service providers should be given after strict scrutiny if provided over the Internet.
All the preventive measures and restrictions will also be reviewed periodically every six months.
There should also be an access control mechanism to check the user and password authenticity.
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