DoT Limits Total Connections for one subscriber to 9

The DoT has issued an order to re-verify SIMs of users having more than 9 connections across India; the order has restricted the connections to 6 in J&K, North East, and Assam. The DoT further instructed the telcos to disconnect additional connections if the users fails to reverify.

DoT Sets a Limit on Total Connections Per User

The department has issued the order in light of the recent rise in fraudulent activities making use of extra connections. However, the telecom department has given the users to choose the connections they require and deactivate the rest.

In the order, DoT said, "if during the data analytics carried out by DoT, it is found that an individual subscriber is having more than nine mobile connections (six in the case of J&K, NE, and Assam LSAs) across all the TSPs (telecom service providers), all the mobile connections will be flagged for re-verification".

The order further read that the TSPs have to suspend the outgoing and the data serves of flagged connections. The DoT has given the TSPs 30 days to do so. Furthermore, the department also ordered telcos to shut down incoming of these flagged connections within 45 days.

Also, if the subscriber turns up for verification and exercises their option to surrender, the TSP will transfer to disconnect selected mobile connections. If the subscriber fails to do so, the TSPs have to deactivate the number within 60 days, starting December 7. However, if the user can't report for recertification, the TSP has to provide 30 more days before disconnection.

Incidentally, the department has said that if any law enforcement agency or financial institution has flagged a connection, the timelines become shorter. The TSP has to suspend outgoing within 5 days, incoming within 10 days, and disconnect within 15 days.