The government has stated that 40 per cent of mobile subscribers did not fully meet the subscriber verification requirements, especially in areas such as Delhi and Mumbai. DoT is planning to impose a penalty of Rs 500 million on operators, including Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communication, for not complying with the subscriber verification norms. It may also terminate their licences, giving them 60 days’ notice. According to DoT, the operators had failed to verify bulk connections and maintain verification records. The operators have pointed out that most subscribers do not possess requisite documents like passports or ration cards for proof of residence.
