newspop
Planning to Buy a New SIM? Check How Many Numbers Are Registered in Your Name First
New Delhi : Planning to buy a new SIM card ? There is an important update you should know. If nine mobile connections are already registered in your name, getting another SIM could become difficult as stricter verification rules are set to come into effect from August 24.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom operators to strengthen the verification process for customers seeking new mobile connections, with the move aimed at preventing the misuse of SIM cards, curbing fraudulent registrations and keeping a closer watch on the number of connections issued under a single identity.
Under the new system, the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) will be used to help telecom companies identify customers who already have nine connections registered in their name. From August 23, representative images of customers with nine connections are expected to be made available on the platform, following which telecom operators will download the relevant data regularly and use it during the process of issuing new SIM cards.
If a customer seeking another connection is identified as already having nine active connections, the request for an additional SIM may be rejected under the prescribed rules. The move is part of the government’s wider efforts to prevent SIM cards from being obtained through multiple or fraudulent identities and subsequently being used for cyber fraud, financial scams or other unlawful activities.
At present, the permitted limit for mobile connections is generally nine per individual across most parts of India, while the limit is six connections in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North-Eastern states.
Telecom companies have also been asked to move towards implementing the verification mechanism in real time by November 30, making the process of checking existing connections more systematic. The development means customers planning to purchase a new SIM should first check how many mobile numbers are currently registered in their name, particularly if they have previously taken multiple connections for family members, businesses or other purposes. Customers should also be alert if they discover an unknown or unused mobile number registered against their identity, as such connections could potentially create problems during future verification. With the stricter system, telecom operators are expected to place greater emphasis on customer identification, existing connection records and verification before issuing additional SIM cards. The government’s broader objective is to ensure that mobile connections are issued only to genuine users and that telecom resources are not misused for fraudulent or illegal purposes.
