Govt asks telecom firms not to issue SIMs beyond 9-connection limit, emphasizes photo-checks
New Delhi, August 19
The government has asked telecom service providers to put in place measures to prevent individuals from obtaining mobile connections beyond the permitted limit of nine connections, with a new system coming into effect from Monday next.
The Ministry of Communications and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in a circular that telecom companies will have to identify subscribers who seek a new mobile connection after reaching the maximum number allowed in their name.
Under the instructions, TSPs will initially be allowed to identify such subscribers on a post-facto basis, meaning the checks can be carried out one day after the mobile connection is enrolled.
However, the government has directed telecom companies to integrate the system into their process for enrolling and activating mobile connections on a real-time basis by November 30, 2026.
"From 24.8.2026 onward, TSPs shall take appropriate technical and organisational measures to identify each subscriber who seeks to obtain mobile connections beyond the prescribed limit using the representative image of the photo of a subscriber....and communicate to him that he already has maximum number of mobile connections permitted to an individual and accordingly, a new mobile connection cannot be provided to him," the circular said.
The government said the objective is to ensure that each individual subscriber is able to subscribe to and use mobile connections only within the prescribed limit.
Until the system is fully implemented on a post-facto basis, any mobile connection activated beyond the prescribed limit for a day will have to be immediately suspended until the issue is resolved, according to the instructions.
The DoT has also put in place a mechanism to help telecom operators identify such subscribers. From August 23, a representative image of the photograph of each subscriber who has already reached the prescribed limit will be made available on the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP).
Telecom companies will have to download these images on a daily basis and use them to identify subscribers attempting to obtain additional mobile connections.
Under existing instructions issued on August 9, 2012, an individual customer can have a maximum of nine mobile connections in their name across all telecom service providers and all licensed service areas in the country.
However, the limit is lower in certain regions. Subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North-East can have a maximum of six mobile connections.
The instructions also require customers to provide a declaration in the Customer Application Form (CAF) regarding the mobile connections already held in their name across telecom operators and licensed service areas.
The DoT said that the respective Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) will be the competent authorities to decide issues arising from the implementation of the instructions.
The government has therefore set August 24 as the date from which telecom operators must begin taking measures to identify and stop subscribers from obtaining connections beyond the prescribed limit, while the complete real-time system is required to be in place by November 30, 2026.
— ANI
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