New Delhi, August 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
New rules governing the issuance of mobile connections came into effect in India on Monday, with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) directing telecom operators to prevent subscribers from obtaining SIM cards beyond the prescribed limit.
Under the directions, telecom companies must identify customers who already have the maximum number of mobile connections registered in their name and inform them that an additional connection cannot be issued.
The initial system will operate on a post-facto basis. Operators can verify the subscriber’s existing connections after a new SIM is enrolled and must immediately suspend any connection found to have taken the subscriber beyond the permitted limit. Telecom service providers have been directed to shift to real-time verification by November 30, 2026.
According to the DoT, an individual can hold up to nine mobile connections across telecom operators and licensed service areas in India. The limit is six connections for subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North-East.
The directions also require applicants to declare in the Customer Application Form (CAF) the mobile connections already held in their name across operators and licensed service areas.
As part of the verification mechanism, representative images of subscribers who have reached the maximum permitted limit have been made available on the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) from August 23. Telecom operators are required to download the images daily to help identify applicants seeking additional connections.
The DoT has also specified that any mobile connection activated beyond the prescribed limit will be immediately suspended until the issue is resolved.
The respective Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) have been designated as the competent authorities to address issues arising from implementation of the directions.
The existing DoT framework already permits an individual to hold up to nine mobile connections, with separate provisions applicable to Assam, Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East.
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