BSNL sources cited the case of Airports Authority of India (AAI)'s phone lines. AAI recently noticed the phones at the Patna airport going dead on Saturdays and Sundays when the AAI office remains closed. At the same time, it was also getting exorbitant phone bills.
"This was obviously a case of theft of calls from the AAI phone lines," the PGM said.
The culprit might be a PCO of the area or the lineman who has the technical idea of the particular phone line, the sources said. "But policing a large phone network is impossible; hence, the advice to lock your phone," the PGM said.
The PGM also cautioned BSNL broadband users not to disclose their internet connection password to anybody or use it in email communications.
For, in a few cases it was found that passwords of individual broadband subscribers were being used in cyber cafes -- even in other parts of the country.
"Of course, the subscriber will be billed for the unauthorised usage as well," the PGM said.
Apartments residents, who might think that their phone lines are safe because there is a separate board for the phone lines networked in the apartment, should also exercise these precautions. For, these lines are also checked and set right by linemen.
Source: The Times of India, 18th Oct,2007
