Govt asks telcos not to issue new SIMs to subscribers with 9 connections

The government has directed telecom operators to prevent subscribers who have already reached the maximum permissible limit of nine mobile connections from obtaining any new SIM cards.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in a circular issued on August 17, said telecom service providers will have to use a representative image of the subscriber's photograph to identify individuals who have already reached the prescribed limit.

Under existing rules, an individual can hold a maximum of nine mobile connections across all telecom service providers and licensed service areas.

The limit is six connections in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North-East licensed service areas.

“From August, 24, 2026, onward, TSPs (telecom service providers) shall take appropriate technical and organisational measures to identify each subscriber who seeks to obtain mobile connections beyond the prescribed limit...and communicate to him that he already has a maximum number of mobile connections permitted to an individual and accordingly, a new mobile connection cannot be provided to him," the circular said.

The DoT's Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) identifies, on a best-effort basis, mobile connections held by an individual across operators and service areas using subscriber data uploaded by telecom companies.

The DoT said that from August 23, a representative image of the photo of each such subscriber who has already reached the prescribed limit for mobile connections in his name would be made available on DIP.

Operators have been directed to download the images daily and use them to prevent such subscribers from crossing the prescribed limit.

The move will enable telecom operators to identify a subscriber who seeks to obtain mobile connections beyond the prescribed limit and prevent him from crossing such a limit.

The DoT has directed that the system be integrated with the process of enrolling and activating a new mobile connection on a real-time basis by November 30, 2026.

Until then, any mobile connection activated beyond the prescribed limit on a particular day will have to be immediately suspended until the issue is resolved.

“Till the time such measures are implemented by a TSP on a post-facto basis, as per terms and conditions of the Customer Application Form (CAF), any mobile connection activated beyond the prescribed limit for a day shall be immediately suspended till resolution of the issue in respect of crossing the permitted limit for mobile connections,” the circular said.