SIM Card New Rule: From December 1 only authorized dealers will be able to issue SIM cards to customers. To ensure this, individuals must go through an extensive verification process. Persons involved in issuing SIM cards without registration may face a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh. The new SIM card rules are aimed at tackling scams like SIM swap scams, fake SIMs and other online frauds.
India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is all set to implement new rules for SIM cards from December 1, 2023. The rules were announced on August 1, 2023, and were scheduled to come into effect from October 1, 2023. However, it was delayed by two months and is now coming into effect today.
The new SIM card rules aim to tackle scams like SIM swap scams, fake SIMs and other online frauds. The new SIM card rules have been designed to streamline the issuance of new SIM cards. Let us tell you in detail about the new SIM card rules.
e-KYC
E-KYC or Digital KYC has been made mandatory for both new SIM cards and those wishing to get a SIM from their existing number. This means that now you cannot just provide a copy of your ID proof to get a SIM card.
Bulk sim cards
The new rules also ban bulk issuance of SIM cards. While business individuals will still be able to buy bulk SIMs, regular users will have a limit of purchasing nine SIMs on a single ID.
Reissue locked Sim
SIM cards that have been locked cannot be reissued for a period of 90 days, giving the customer enough time to reactivate them without the worry of the SIM being issued to someone else. The stolen or switched off number will be released to someone else only after 3 months.
Sim dealer verification
From today i.e. 1st December 2023, only authorized dealers will be able to issue SIM cards to customers. To ensure this, individuals must go through an extensive verification process. Telecom operators will be required to register franchisees, distributors and point-of-sale (POS) agents to prevent them from issuing SIM cards to suspicious persons. Persons involved in issuing SIM cards without registration may face a fine of up to ₹10 lakh.
