Man arrested for satellite phone use in India

[andy]

I heard about this on the radio yesterday evening.

Apparently a so-called eco campaigner called Andy Pag had been on an expedition to travel around the world in an old school bus powered by biodiesel.

He wasn't aware that using a satellite phone without permission is not only illegal in India but can be considered a terrorist act, with consequently high penalties.

The radio had an interview with a family member. Mr Pag has dual British and Italian nationality, and is being helped by the Italian consul as he was travelling on that passport.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/6997320/Eco-activist-Andy-Pag-arrested-in-India.html

[inquisitor]

Interesting! A friend of mine, who had been working in India for a couple of years, borrowed my Iridium sat phone a couple of times for usage outside of terrestrial network coverage. When he made a hiking tour in the Himalaya to some area in the proximity of Pakistan (I think it were 50 km), I jokingly warned him to watch out for UAVs when using it, as he might be taken to be some insurgent. I presume he was really lucky not to be discovered with a sat phone near the border to India's archenemy.
That friend also used VoIP for years, when it was suddenly blocked and we found out, that using VoIP is a criminal offence over there, too.

[petkow]

Yes, this situation is all a bit of a mess. Its being talked about quite a bit back in India over the last few days, especially as this guy had no idea that this law existed (and neither did the border police that checked his vehichle when he came in). It'd funny as the law that they actually arrested the guy on also could be seen to restricting the use of things like cordless phones, FM mics, radio controlled toys etc.

Basically their clamping down on things a bit after the Mumbai terrorist attacks a year ago! Looks like sat phones were used a lot in that, as were VoIP accounts with incoming US DID's.

[petkow]

As an update today, this guy has been finally released on bail (after being kept for a week) but will face trial in the future. He could even face a lengthy prison sentence!
Indian court bails British eco-activist arrested for carrying satellite phone | World news | guardian.co.uk

The unfortunate irony of this is that there really is very little reason to use a satphone these days in India or anywhere else on dry-land, unless you are venturing into mountains or very remote areas! The GSM coverage (especially along the roads he would be driving on) is decent. Better still, it would be several orders cheaper, especially if one picks up a local SIM in India. (why do more people not read ppgsm?)

However, I really feel for this guy! 10 years ago I did a very similar drive to him also in a clapped out banger! Even then GSM coverage was quite continuous practically all the way! This was true apart from large chunks of desert in Pakistan (I've been told even that has changed now) and the whole of Iran, whose only network at the time was hardly existent outside the main cities, and AFIK it had no roaming agreements with any European carriers at the time.

[andy]

It's in a context where all prepaid mobile rgistrations had been barred in Jammu and Kashmir for a few months, which has just been lifted today

Besides limiting the number of mobile connections per household to six, the fresh guidelines also make it mandatory for the service provider to send a daily list of re-verified prepaid -- new as well as existing -- subscribers to the central security agencies as well as state police.

The ban on all new pre-paid connections as well as renewal of existing ones was imposed on November 1 last year as the security agencies found that the mobile connections, especially pre-paid ones, were being used extensively by terrorist organizations. These included groups functioning from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

n.b. I'd turn your PC volume right down before you visit this page, and get ready to stop embedded videos

Centre lifts pre-paid mobile ban in J&K - India - The Times of India

[djmonsi]

Chines phones with fake or no IMEI's are also barred in India. I always wonder how European countries give out sims for free without any ID proof.

[andy]

Originally Posted by djmonsi

Chines phones with fake or no IMEI's are also barred in India. I always wonder how European countries give out sims for free without any ID proof.

Some do ask for ID. The Swiss barred all SIMs that didn't register by a deadline a few months after a requirement to do so was brought in, which wiped out about 20%. This law was passed after some SIMs had been found to be apparently in use by terrorists roaming in certain countries.

[Jervin]

But why Sat phone is not allowed? I mean if we limit ourselves then the Terrorist wins already.

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by Jervin

But why Sat phone is not allowed? I mean if we limit ourselves then the Terrorist wins already.

It can be very difficult for the police to monitor a satellite phone. Monitoring a national cellular network is much easier, you just tap into the switch. It's hard for the Indian police to monitor a satellite phone on a spot beam with the switch in Arizona or UAE.

[bbob]

Originally Posted by djmonsi

Chines phones with fake or no IMEI's are also barred in India. I always wonder how European countries give out sims for free without any ID proof.

Id proof is worthless if you have to show it. You can always get used prepaid sims on markets shops, internet and don't need to show any proof.

Showing id is just another rwason to check and give an idea of fake security.

If india does check this I wonder what they do on foreign sims roaming on their network.