NEW DELHI: Faced with a barrage of criticism over mandating pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on new smartphones, govt on Wednesday withdrew the directive, seeking to put the controversy on the backburner. The department of telecom (DoT) withdrew the order even while justifying the utility of Sanchar Saathi in making citizens cyber secure. “The govt, with an intent to provide access to cyber security to all citizens, had mandated pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones... Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, govt has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,” said a statement amidst criticism. DoT’s Nov 21 directive had taken the industry by surprise, with major global players indicating unhappiness at the move. Stro

See Full Page