mobile connections
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has disconnected over 85 lakh mobile connections to combat fraud and enhance security in the telecom sector. The disconnections include 78.33 lakh mobile connections that were obtained using fake documents, and an additional 6.78 lakh connections linked to cybercrime activities, following analysis based on an AI-based tool developed by the DoT.
In a move to further strengthen the Know Your Customer (KYC) framework for issuing mobile connections, the DoT has introduced new guidelines for telecom service providers. The regulations now mandate the registration of all Points of Sale (PoS), including franchisees, distributors, and agents, who enrol customers and issue SIM cards on behalf of telecom licensees. These measures aim to ensure that customer enrolment is more secure and transparent.
Under the new guidelines, telecom companies are required to carry out indisputable verification of each PoS. This includes biometric verification, physical address verification of the PoS’s place of business and local residence, as well as police verification in Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, and North Eastern License Service Areas (LSAs). Further, PoS are now required to sign inter-service agreements that outline their duties, scope of operations, and penalties for non-compliance, including termination of agreements in case of violations.
The new regulations also stipulate that PoS found to be involved in fraudulent activities or providing false information will be blacklisted across all telecom service providers. In such cases, all mobile subscribers enrolled by the blacklisted PoS will be subject to re-verification. Additionally, if any PoS continues to enrol customers without registration after 31st January 2025, they will be fined ₹10 lakh per instance.
To further streamline KYC procedures, the DoT has amended existing guidelines. These changes include the discontinuation of the bulk connections framework and the introduction of a business connections framework, which mandates individual KYC verification for each end-user before activation. A more rigorous process has also been introduced for Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swap or replacement requests. As of 1st January 2024, paper-based KYC processes have been abolished.
The Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, shared these developments in response to a question in the Lok Sabha today.