No need of physical form for new SIM card, New connection will be provided through digital KYC
The government of India has confirmed in a press conference that users now have to fill the form in digital format for customer verification. The customers also will not be required to submit KYC again if they change to prepaid to postpaid or vice versa.
Till date users needed to submit a photo copy of their Aadhar card or any other document to purchase a new SIM card, but soon they will get freedom from this. The Indian Government has approved Digital KYC, after which now KYC verification will be made online. According to the Government, the telecom companies have a pile of papers worth 400 crores and hence it’s time to go digital for mobile connections.
On behalf of the Government, it was told in a press conference that henceforth customer verification for purchasing mobile SIMs will be done in Digital format. Apart, the customers would not be needed to submit KYC again if they switch from Prepaid to postpaid or postpaid to prepaid. Also it was clarified that now on-wards tower installation will only be done on the basis of self-deceleration since many fraud cases for the same has come to the forefront.
All new customer acquisitions are to be done through digital forms only in the coming future.
Auction calendar will be fixed – spectrum auctions to be normally held in the last quarter of every financial year.
– Union Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw #CabinetDecisions pic.twitter.com/s9MNfq9IFg
— PIB India (@PIB_India) September 15, 2021
Apart from big relaxation on Digital KYC, the government also has given big relief to the Telelcom companies. The Telcos have been given a 4 year moratorium to refund the spectrum charges and AGR dues. Apart from this, non-telecom revenue will no longer be included in the AGR calculation. Relief has also been given in the interest rates of AGR.