If you have multiple SIM cards registered in your name, be alert—rules are changing from August 24..
If you have multiple mobile SIM cards registered in your name, this news is important for you. The government is set to strictly enforce regulations regarding individuals who hold mobile connections exceeding the prescribed limit. Starting August 24, 2026, telecom companies will be required to implement technical and administrative systems to identify such customers and prevent the issuance of new SIM cards to them.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued directives regarding this on August 17. Under these rules, if a customer attempts to obtain a new SIM after having already reached the set limit for mobile connections, the telecom operator must identify them. The customer will also be informed that a new mobile connection cannot be granted because the prescribed limit has been reached.
How many SIM cards can one hold?
It is important to note that the limit on mobile connections is not a new rule. Since August 9, 2012, an individual in the country has been permitted to hold a maximum of nine mobile connections in their name. This limit applies across all telecom companies and various licensed service areas combined. However, in Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, and the Northeastern states, the limit is six mobile connections rather than nine. This means that if you hold SIM cards from different companies, their total count will be included in the overall limit.
How will the government monitor this now?
To implement the new directives, the Department of Telecommunications has mandated the use of the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). By consolidating customer information from various telecom operators, this platform will help determine exactly how many mobile connections are registered in an individual's name.
When purchasing a new SIM, customers will be required to provide details of all existing mobile connections registered in their name within the Customer Application Form. This includes connections from other telecom companies or those in different licensed service areas.
Photographs to be available from August 23
According to the DoT directives, starting August 23, representative photographs of customers who have reached the prescribed limit will be available on the DIP. Telecom companies will be able to utilize this information when issuing new SIM cards. If a customer is found to have more connections than the prescribed limit, an application for a new SIM card may be rejected.
Adherence to Rules
Telecom companies have been directed to fully integrate their systems and processes with the DIP by November 30, 2026. Until then, if any mobile connection exceeding the limit becomes active—even for a single day—under a customer's name, it must be immediately suspended pending clarification. The government's objective is clear: to ensure that the number of mobile connections held by an individual remains within the prescribed limit and that regulations are effectively enforced. Therefore, if you hold multiple SIM cards, it is advisable to verify their total count.
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