India to launch mobile directory

INDIA’s DoT (Department of Telecom) is planning to launch a Mobile Directory, having previously put the vast project on hold.

The national telecoms regulatory body, the TRAI, had originally proposed a Mobile Directory in 2007, having seen similar propositions in European Countries and United States.

Currently India has web based services where land lines are available, but mobile directories are much more controversial due to concerns over consumer privacy – as exemplified by Connectivity’s recent problems with their 118 800 service.

For this reason, the Indian regulator will provide consumers with the option to opt out of the Mobile Directory. This could prove to be a daunting task for the DoT to compile a directory of around 400 million subscribers, as most of Indian mobile subscribers have pre-paid connections.

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