The Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court has pleaded to simplify Customer Acquisition Form (CAF) thereby easing mobile connection guidelines. The apex court was hearing a PIL seeking a direction for strict subscriber verification norms. 
 
"The authority feels that the CAF should be simplified for ease of use without compromising the need of the security agencies," Trai counsel Sanjay Kapur said in an affidavit on Monday. 

He told the court that updating the subscribers details would be difficult as it would require service providers to employ much larger work force. It becomes all the more difficult in the absence of a unique identification database for the entire country.

"Emphasis on verification of documentary requirements, updating the subscriber details in the database and activation of the SIM by licensees'' employees would now lead to unnecessary burden on the operators and will translate into a substantial increase in the number of on roll employees," Kapur said. 

The regulator also said that re-verifications is not required in case of change of connection from prepaid to postpaid and vice-versa. "The change of connection from prepaid to postpaid and vice-versa is basically a change of tariff plan and hence in cases where verification has already been done the re-verification may not be required," the Trai said.