The Telecommunications Department has notified the following additional know-your-customer (KYC) conditions for getting business connections:
- Optional KYC for Certain Users: In cases where end users are not identifiable, such as SIMs for R&D and testing, end-user KYC is optional. However, these connections must be issued solely by the licensee’s employees;
- Undertaking from Subscribing Entities: Prior to issuing connections, licensees are required to obtain an undertaking from the subscribing entity detailing use cases without end users and ensure its realism;
- Verification and Monitoring: During physical verification of the entity’s address and premises, licensees must validate the proposed use cases scenarios of the subscribing entity are realistic. Further, the licensee must also monitor the bona fide use of such connections by the subscribing entities. The responsibility for the bona fide usage of these business connections lies with the subscribing entity, and this must be communicated to the subscribing entity in writing explicitly. If the licensee, licensor, or designated LEAs become aware of the misuse of these connections by the subscribing entities, such business connections must be disconnected immediately, without prejudice to any other action that may be taken under the law;
- Limited Facilities and Validity: licensees must provide such connections with limited call/SMS/data facilities, with a definite validity period of a maximum of one year at a time, as per the use case scenarios of the subscribing entity. During the renewal of validity for such connections, the licensee must satisfy itself regarding the usage patterns from the past and the proposed usage for the upcoming year;
- Connection Limits: maximum of 100 connections may be issued to any given entity at one time;
- Restrictions on M2M Services: These connections cannot be used for M2M communication services;
- Monthly Reporting: Licensees must provide a monthly list of these connections and their restrictions to LSAs for audit and to LEAs upon request;
- Application of Existing License Condition: The license conditions related to ‘bulk connections’, and ‘bulk users’ in the existing license agreements, are also applicable mutatis mutandis for ‘business connections’ and ‘business users’;
- Prohibition on Resale: Resale of SIMs by the subscribing entity is prohibited. Licensees must ensure entities obtain connections for their own use only
All other terms and conditions in para 3 of the earlier instructions have been retained.
A copy of the Notification is hyperlinked below for your ease of reference
Source: Ministry of Communications
