The Department of Telecom has decided to deactivate USSD-based call forwarding on mobile phones starting from April 15 until further notice. Additionally, DoT stated in its order that the feature could be reinstated later as an alternative. Currently, modifications to this service are scheduled to be implemented after April 15.
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Customers simply dial a code on the screen to utilize the USSD service, which is currently employed for tasks such as checking the IMEI number and mobile phone balance. The decision to implement this order is aimed at combating fraud and online crime. In its March 28 order, DoT stated that Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) was being exploited for unauthorized activities.
This implies that smartphone users will no longer have access to such a feature. Hence, the USSD-Based Call Forwarding service is scheduled to be discontinued on April 15, 2024. However, the duration of this closure has not been specified yet. It may be reinstated at a later time. Currently, investigations are ongoing regarding this matter.
Government organizations have previously made similar decisions, such as the requirement for e-verification to obtain new SIM cards, eliminating the need for physical verification. In continuation of this trend, the decision to cease USSD-based call forwarding has been made. However, it has not been discontinued indefinitely yet.
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