Proof of Concept (PoC) of Alternate Digital KYC Process for issuing new mobile connections to subscribers

Proof of Concept (PoC) of Alternate Digital KYC Process for issuing new mobile connections to subscribers

Government of India
Ministry of Communications
Department of Telecommunications
(Access Services Wing)
Sanchar Bhawan, 20, Ashoka Road, New Delhi -110001

File No: 800-26/2016-AS.II

Dated: 06.11.2018

To
All Unified Licensees (having Access Service Authorization)/ Unified Licensees (AS)/ Unified Access Services Licensees/ Cellular Mobile Telephone Service Licensees.

Subject: Proof of Concept (PoC) of Alternate Digital KYC Process for issuing new mobile connections to subscribers-regarding.

This is in continuation of this office letter of even number dated 26.10.2018 vide which Licensees were directed to discontinue the Aadhaar based E-KYC process for issuing new mobile connections to subscribers and re-verification of existing mobile subscribers. Further, in para 7 of the instructions, all Telecom Service Providers were asked to ensure readiness of their systems and offer the Proof of Concept (PoC) of the proposed Alternate Digital KYC Process by 05.11 .2018 for approval.

2. As per the proposed digital alternate KYC process by Telecom Industry for issuing new mobile connections, the Customer Acquisition Form (CAF) is to be embedded with live photograph of subscriber along with the original POIlPOA document thereby digitizing the end to end process for on boarding of new mobile subscribers by making it completely paperless.

3. The procedure to be followed for issuing mobile connections using the alternate digital KYC process is as follows:

a. The entire process shall only be used through the authenticated applications (App) hosted
by the Licensees.

b. The access of the App shall be controlled by the Licensees and it should be ensured that the same is not used by unauthorized persons.

c. The customer desirous of obtaining a new mobile connection shall visit the authorized POS location of the Licensee or vice-versa. The original Proof of Identity/Proof of Address (PoI/PoA) documents shall be in possession of the customer.

d. The Licensee must ensure that the Live photograph of the customer is taken at POS terminal and the same photograph shall be embedded in the CAF. Further, the system application of the Licensee shall put a water-mark having CAF number, GPS coordinates, POS name, unique POS Code (assigned by licensees) and Date & time stamp on the captured live photograph of the customer.

e. Similarly, the live photograph of the original POI/POA documents shall be captured and water-marking as mentioned above shall be done.

f. Thereafter, all the entries in the CAF shall be filled as per the POI/POA documents and information furnished by the customer. In those POI/POA documents where QR code is available, such details can be auto-populated by scanning the QR code instead of manual filling the details. For example, in case of physical Aadhaar/e-Aadhaar downloaded from UIDAI where QR code is available, the details like name, gender, date of birth and address can be auto-populated by scanning the QR available on Aadhaar/e-Aadhaar.

g. Once the above mentioned process is completed, an One Time Password (OTP) shall be sent to customer’s own alternate mobile number. Upon successful validation of the OTP, it will be treated as customer signature on CAF. However, if the customer does not have any own alternate mobile number, then mobile number of his/her family members/relatives/known persons may be used for this purpose. Further, in case if the customer does not have any alternate mobile number to give for this purpose, then the mobile number of POS registered with the Licensee may be used.

h. The POS shall provide a declaration about the capturing of the live photograph of customer and the original POI/POA documents and/or its registered mobile number used for customer signature. For this purpose, the POS shall be verified with One Time Password (OTP) which will be sent to his mobile number registered with the Licensee. Upon successful OTP validation, it shall be treated as POS signature on the declaration.

i. Subsequent to all these activities, the application shall give information about the completion of the process and submission of activation request to activation officer of the Licensee, and also generate the transaction-id/reference-id number of the process. POS shall intimate the details regarding transaction-id/reference-id number to customer for future reference.

J. The authorized representative of the Licensee shall check and verify that: (i) information available in the pictures of POI/POA documents is matching with the information entered by POS in CAF.

(ii) live photograph of the customer matches with the photo available in the POI/POA documents.

(iii) All of the necessary details in CAF including mandatory fields are filled properly.

k. On successful verification by authorized representative of the Licensee, the SIM card shall be activated and tele-verification as per the prevailing guidelines shall be done before final activation of the services. However, if the customer has given his own alternate mobile number, then tele-verification through the use of 5-digit OTP pin shall be done for activation of final services.

4. Only two mobile connections shall be provided per day per POI/POA document to a customer by a Licensee using the above mentioned alternate digital KYC process. However, in case more than one connection is issued, the entire process as mentioned above shall be repeated for issuing each connection.

5. The above mentioned digital KYC process is an alternative process to the existing process of issuance of mobile connections to subscribers and shall also be applicable for outstation and foreign customers. The additional safeguards in prevailing guidelines in respect of outstation and foreign customers shall also be followed in the above mentioned digital KYC process.

6. The proof of concept of the above mentioned alternate digital KYC process is to be done at two locations (rural & urban) by each Licensee. As on date, following Licensees have ensured their readiness to conduct POC and offered location of POC as mentioned below:

7. Based on the POC results, further directions for any change in the process, if any, will be issued on the subject.

8. The existing instructions in general and particularly those issued vide letter No. 800- 09/20 I 0-V AS dated 09th August 2012 and all other instructions shall remain the same for issuing of mobile connections to new subscribers.

9. With regard to non-acceptability of Aadhaar/e-Aadhaar as POIIPOA documents in J&K, Assam and North East LSAs, it is clarified that at present there is no change in instructions dated 14.01.2011.

(Prashant Verma)
Assistant Director General (AS-II)
Tele No.: 011-23354042

Source: DoT