Now, you can't get new SIM card without verification

Service providers will have to physically verify the identities of both prepaid and postpaid customers

Prepaid and post-paid mobile phone connections will from this weekend be issued only after physical verification of subscribers, with police inquiry against those submitting forged documents.

The Department of Telecommunications' tougher guidelines that make telecom operators responsible for any inaccurate information provided by subscribers for both pre-paid and post-paid mobile phone connections will come into effect from November 9.

Under the new rules, the authorised person selling SIM cards will have give an undertaking that he has seen the applicant and matched the photograph attached on the application form.

The retailer will also have to sign authenticating the documents submitted by the customer have been verified with original copies of proof of address and identity.

Retailers and franchisee selling mobile SIM cards will have to register police complaint against subscribers if they submit forged documents to get mobile connections.

According to the guidelines, "In cases where forged documents are submitted by the subscriber and originals are also forged, police complaint or FIR shall be lodged by the PoS (Point of Sale) or franchisee against the subscriber within 15 days of bringing it to the notice of licensee (telecom operator)."

The guidelines also make it mandatory for the licensee to sign the form prior to activation of the SIM card certifying the information provided on the form is correct.

"The date of sale of SIM and activation of SIM is required to be established from the entries in the Consumer Application Form (CAF). For this purpose, entry of date is to be made with the signature of subscriber at the time of filing of CAF," the guidelines said.

Telecom operators will also have to file First Information Report (FIR) against the franchisee or SIM seller if the SIM is sold against documents of any other subscriber or person without the owner of the document having any knowledge of it.

Further, legal action will be taken against telecom operators for failing to act against the errant sellers and subscribers.

"We are working towards the implementation of these guidelines," GSM industry body COAI director-general Rajan Mathews said.