NEW DELHI, AUG 24 (IANS): New SIM card rules came into effect in India on Monday, directing telecom operators to stop issuing mobile connections to customers who have reached the permitted limit.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked operators to identify customers holding the maximum number of SIM cards and inform them that additional connections cannot be issued.
Initially, verification will be conducted on a post-facto basis, with any connection activated beyond the limit immediately suspended until the issue is resolved. Telecom companies have been directed to introduce real-time verification by November 30, 2026.
Under the new rules, an individual can hold a maximum of nine mobile connections across telecom operators and licensed service areas. The limit is six for customers in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North East.
From August 23, Department of Telecommunications will make representative images of subscribers who have reached the maximum limit available on its Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). Operators must download these images daily to identify applicants seeking additional SIMs.
Customers must also declare in the Customer Application Form (CAF) the mobile connections already held in their name across operators and licensed service areas.
Department of Telecommunications said respective Licensed Service Areas will be the competent authorities to decide issues arising from implementation of the rules.
Tuesday, August 25, 2026