iWorld
ITU Kaleidoscope 2024 kicks off showcasing global tech innovations
Mumbai: The 15th ITU Kaleidoscope Academic Conference, themed ‘Innovation and Digital Transformation for a Sustainable World’, has commenced today at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, spotlighting India’s role in shaping the global digital landscape. Organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the event will run from 21-23 October 2024, featuring discussions on 5G, AI, IoT, quantum communications, and other groundbreaking technologies, with more than 140 record-breaking paper submissions highlighting the world’s growing interest in digital infrastructure and telecommunications standards.
The top three selected papers will each be awarded CHF 2000 in recognition of their contributions to advancing the field of telecommunications. These winning papers, chosen by an expert panel, cover pivotal topics including quantum communication, network security, and 5G applications.
In a move to foster the next generation of researchers, ITU will recognise young authors from the selected papers with certificates of excellence, reaffirming its commitment to encouraging fresh talent in the field of telecommunications research.
The conference will feature numerous technical sessions and panel discussions covering diverse topics such as 6G network architectures, AI in healthcare, IoT for smart cities, and quantum cryptography. Key stakeholders and industry leaders will tackle the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies, providing thought leadership on the future of telecommunications.
As part of the World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA-24), the event will emphasise the need for international collaboration in setting global standards for next-generation technologies. Kaleidoscope 2024 aims to ensure these technologies are developed inclusively, securely, and sustainably.
On 23 October, two important panel discussions will take place. The first will address connecting the remaining 3 billion, while the second will explore the role of youth in global standards development, focusing on enhancing participation in telecommunications and technology standards.
By hosting Kaleidoscope 2024, India continues to assert its leadership in the global digital ecosystem. With initiatives like ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make in India’, the country positions itself as a hub for innovation in digital infrastructure, highlighting advancements in 5G deployment and the development of indigenous technologies for global markets.
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Telcos push for unified rules as spam shifts to OTT platforms
Over 80 per cent fraud moves online, operators seek common framework.
MUMBAI: The spam may have left your phone network but it hasn’t left you alone. India’s telecom operators are once again dialling up the pressure for a unified regulatory framework, warning that fraud is rapidly migrating to internet-based platforms where oversight remains far looser. According to industry communication, a leading operator has written to multiple arms of the government including the Department of Telecommunications, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Finance arguing that tighter controls on traditional telecom networks are inadvertently pushing bad actors towards over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms.
The concern is not new, but the framing has sharpened. What was once an industry grievance is now being positioned as a consumer protection issue. Operators say that tackling spam in silos no longer works, as fraudsters seamlessly shift across platforms, exploiting regulatory gaps. The result: a moving target that traditional safeguards struggle to contain.
Executives point to a clear shift in fraud patterns. OTT platforms are increasingly being used for phishing links, impersonation scams and bulk unsolicited messaging, with industry estimates suggesting that over 80 per cent of spam activity has now migrated online. In this environment, the lines between telecom networks, messaging apps and financial fraud are blurring fast.
At the heart of the industry’s demand is a call for a technology-neutral regulatory framework, one that applies consistently across telecom and internet-based communication services. Operators argue that the absence of uniform safeguards, such as sender verification systems, robust spam filters and clearly defined accountability mechanisms, has created enforcement blind spots that fraudsters are quick to exploit.
The proposal is straightforward but far-reaching. Telcos are pushing for baseline anti-fraud measures across all communication platforms, alongside faster response systems and deeper coordination between ministries. Given the interconnected nature of telecom networks, digital platforms and financial systems, they argue that fragmented oversight only weakens the overall defence.
The broader issue is regulatory arbitrage, the ability of bad actors to hop between platforms based on which is least regulated at any given time. Without harmonised rules, operators say, efforts to curb fraud risk becoming a game of whack-a-mole.
As digital communication continues to expand, the debate is shifting from who regulates what to how consistently it is regulated. For now, telecom operators are making their case clear: in a world where spam travels freely, regulation cannot afford to stay fragmented.
