SIM card rules 2026: What changes from August 24 and how many connections can you have

The government has directed telecom service providers to stop individuals from obtaining mobile connections beyond the prescribed limit of nine, with a new system coming into effect from August 24.Under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) instructions, telecom companies will have to identify subscribers who seek a new mobile connection after already reaching the maximum number allowed in their name and inform them that another connection cannot be provided.The move will initially operate on a post-facto basis, allowing telecom operators to carry out the verification one day after a connection is enrolled.However, the government has asked operators to shift to a real-time system for identifying and preventing excess connections by November 30.How the new SIM verification system will workFrom August 24, telecom operators will have to take technical and organisational measures to identify subscribers attempting to obtain connections beyond the prescribed limit.The DoT circular said: “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.”To help operators carry out these checks, the DoT will make available on the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) from August 23 a representative image of the photograph of every subscriber who has already reached the prescribed limit.Telecom companies will have to download these images daily and use them to identify subscribers attempting to obtain additional mobile connections.Until the system is fully implemented on a post-facto basis, any connection activated beyond the permitted limit during a day will have to be immediately suspended until the issue is resolved.How many mobile connections can you have?Under existing DoT instructions issued on August 9, 2012, an individual can hold a maximum of nine mobile connections in their name across all telecom operators and licensed service areas in India.However, a lower limit applies in certain regions:Most of India: Maximum 9 mobile connectionsJammu and Kashmir: Maximum 6Assam: Maximum 6North-East: Maximum 6Customers are also required to provide a declaration in the Customer Application Form (CAF) stating the mobile connections already held in their name across telecom operators and licensed service areas.When will the new system become fully real-time?The government has set August 24 as the date from which telecom operators must begin identifying subscribers trying to obtain connections beyond the permitted limit.The initial system can operate on a post-facto basis, but telecom operators have been directed to integrate the checks into the enrolment and activation process in real time by November 30.The respective Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) will be the competent authorities to decide issues arising from implementation of the instructions.The DoT has directed telecom operators to decline new connections to subscribers who already have the maximum number of permitted SIM cards.Get the latest Business News and Live updates.

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