DoT Mandates KYC for Internet Telephony

On 16 June 2025, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a directive mandating that all licensees with Access Service Authorisation under the Unified License (UL) or UL (VNO) must implement full KYC verification for subscribers using Internet Telephony services with mobile numbering series.

Why this matters: It came to light that some licensees were offering services under the “Business Connection” category without performing proper end-user verification, presuming that existing KYC norms were limited to traditional mobile services. 

Key highlights from the directive: 

• Existing KYC norms for mobile services must be applied mutatis mutandis to Internet Telephony.

• All applicable business rules (bulk) connections must also be followed. 

  
  

• Licensees have a 90-day window from the date of the letter (i.e., until 14 September 2025) to ensure full compliance. 

  
  

• Any non-compliance after the deadline will be treated as a license breach and may lead to penal action. 

  
  

This move strengthens accountability and user verification across both traditional and digital telecom services. 

For more information, you can refer to the official notification issued by the ministry from here: KYC Requirements for Internet Telephony Services