C-DOT is shifting focus to emerging telecom, cybersecurity technologies: C-DOT CEO & Chairman

New Delhi [India], August 11 : Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) is shifting its focus to emerging telecom and cybersecurity technologies as India's telecom sector evolves with greater competition, privatisation and new players, said Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO & Chairman, C-DOT.
Speaking to ANI, Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO & Chairman, Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) noted, C-DOT has completed nearly four decades of its journey since its establishment in 1984. He further added, at the time of its inception, the organisation was tasked with developing a digital exchange within 36 months with a budget of Rs 36 crore.
"It delivered its promise, and those rural telephones brought the rural revolution in the country, the PCO revolution," he said.
Noting C-DOT's indigenous technology development has helped bring down the cost of telecom technologies that India previously imported by providing domestic alternatives, he stressed, the telecom sector has since undergone significant changes, with increased competition, privatisation, the entry of new players and the exit of some established companies.
"Now times have changed, a lot of competition is there, privatisation is happening, new players have emerged, and a lot of established players have disappeared...," he said adding C-DOT is now focusing on developing technologies in emerging telecom and cybersecurity areas.
"We are now focusing on the current telecom and cyber technologies for the country... We have five verticals or the five centres of Excellence which we are focusing...," he said.
He said we use artificial intelligence for our own telecom system everywhere. (2:32) What AI can help us in terms of bringing efficiency, in terms of optimization, in terms of energy saving, in terms of bringing better productivity. (2:42) Apart from that we do AI primarily for solving the day to day problems of cyber frauds, other kind of frauds.
He further stressed the need for India to develop its own indigenous wireless systems, citing the changing geopolitical environment and the growing role of cyberspace in modern conflicts.
"We need our own indigenous wireless system. Given the geopolitical situation around the world, wars are being fought not only through weapons but also in cyberspace. Therefore, the government told us to develop our own 4G system," he said.
On 6G, Upadhyay said C-DOT is working on the technology as global standards are yet to be finalised. Once the standards are set, the organisation plans to develop both prototype and carrier-grade systems in line with global developments.