The European Data Retention Directive was written to ensure that telecom providers would retain certain data, to be made available to the police for the purpose of crime detection, investigation and prosecution. However, the Directive did not take into account the heterogeneous nature of the networks and systems of most telecom providers. You find the PDF under the article / Text by Frost and Sullivan
This complication has made it difficult for companies to meet the Directive obligations and it is anticipated that formidable challenges will grow over time. Sponsored by Utimaco Safeware AG, Frost & Sullivan has published a whitepaper that identifies and analyses these challenges, which extend well beyond Europe.
Frost & Sullivan believes that emerging regulation in other parts of the world will follow a similar pattern, starting with the United States. “Because data retention is such a powerful tool for law enforcement agencies, we think that new legislation, when introduced in countries like the United States, will be far less controversial today than it would have been ten years ago,” says Alexander Michael, Principal at Frost & Sullivan.
The analysis shows that there are many kinds of difficulties faced by telecom providers. Because most well-managed companies already have systems in place that enable them to retain records of traditional calls, the introduction of a more sophisticated system may be tricky. It is anticipated that companies’ will struggle to implement the Directive’s provisions.
Other substantial problems faced include large quantities of records to retain, the resulting demands on data centre capacity and the lack of standardisation in communicating with the police and other law enforcement agencies. “Telecom providers, who are trying to decide what steps to take to address these challenges, should think very carefully about whether to adapt existing systems or invest in a dedicated solution. They should also consider the long-term implications, because their data retention obligation will get heavier,” says Alexander Michael.