If you have many mobile connections or SIM cards running in your name, then an important and strict news has come for you from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). DoT has implemented new and very strict rules to prevent the use of fake SIM cards and cyber fraud in the country.
According to the new rules, now all telecom companies like Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone-Idea (Vi) will have to resort to 'photo-based verification' to identify those people in whose name more mobile connections are registered than the prescribed limit. For this, the government's Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) will directly help the companies.
Limit of 9 SIM cards, only 6 in North-East
It is important to understand that the rule of limit of 9 SIM cards is not new, the government has already implemented it. Under the current rules, a person in India can have a maximum of 9 mobile connections in his/her name (across all telecom operators combined). However, due to security reasons, this limit is limited to a maximum of 6 connections for citizens of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and North-East states. The main focus of the new circular issued on August 17, 2026 is on how the telecom companies will catch those crossing this limit and stop them from giving new SIMs.
How will the new 'DIP' photo verification system work?
Under the new guidelines, the 'Digital Intelligence Platform' (DIP) will use subscriber information provided by telecom companies. This platform will group together all the mobile connections registered in the name of the same person with different operators. Subsequently, from August 23, 2026, telecom companies will get access through DIP to download a representative photograph of all those subscribers who have already touched or crossed their 9 SIM limit.
From August 24, it will become mandatory for telecom companies to use these images and technical measures while activating a new SIM. If a person tries to get a new SIM even after exceeding the limit, the system will immediately catch him through photo matching and verification. After this the customer will be told that the maximum number of connections already exists in his name, hence he cannot be given a new SIM card.
Real-time system will be fully implemented by 30 November 2026
In the initial days, this verification can be done immediately after the new SIM is activated. But DoT has given clear instructions to all telecom companies to fully integrate this new photo verification system with their SIM activation process by 30 November 2026, so that this verification can be done in real-time (even before the SIM is activated). The regulator has also made it clear that until this new system starts working completely, if any mobile connection is started breaking the rules, it will be investigated and immediate action will be taken.