COAI Advocates Persistent SIM-Binding for OTT Communication Apps to Prevent Cyber Fraud

In a significant step toward strengthening India’s digital security framework, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has issued a strong recommendation that all over-the-top (OTT) communication applications be mandatorily and continuously bound to verified mobile SIMs. This proposal, aimed at preventing cyber fraud and reinforcing national security, comes amid a sharp rise in digital scams and security threats.

Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General of COAI, emphasized that persistent SIM-binding is essential to ensure accountability, traceability, and alignment with the regulatory standards already in place for telecom operators.

COAI believes that in the light of escalating digital scams and sovereign security challenges, all OTT communication apps should be mandated to bind with the verified mobile SIMs at all times, to ensure cyber fraud prevention and to strengthen national security. This approach would ensure consumer trust, accountability, traceability and alignment with existing regulatory frameworks.

India’s mobile operators are proactively implementing CNAP (Caller name presentation) and have implemented suspected spam protection measures on voice and SMS, TCCCPR related checks such as Principal entity (PE) -Telemarketer (TM) binding, A2P SMS header and content registration and keyword-based content screening of messages transmitted as well as enforcing DLT-based suffix rules for transparency. However, fraudsters are increasingly adapting by shifting to OTT messaging platforms that are installed/used independent of SIM verification and are immune to telecom-level controls.

Presently, the binding process between a subscriber's app-based communication services and their mobile SIM card occurs only once during the initial installation and verification phase, after which the application continues to function independently on the device even if the SIM card is later removed, replaced or deactivated.

For e.g., if the original SIM card is removed from the device and the device with the OTT Communication App is used for a criminal activity from any geographic location, since no SIM is present during the crime, there is no verifiable link — such as call records, location data or carrier logs — to prove which device was used or where the activity occurred. This proves to be a major impediment towards preventing the issues of spam and cyber frauds and could pose a major threat to national security as well.

COAI, therefore, suggests that such OTT Communication Apps implement persistent SIM-binding that remains active beyond initial installation. This would ensure that the communication service cannot operate without the authenticated SIM physically inserted in the device, maintaining critical traceability between the user, the number and the device.

COAI believes that this will not only help reduce the occurrence of spam and fraud communications significantly over these applications, but also help mitigate financial frauds by acting as a deterrent against misuse of app-based communication platforms, thus bringing relief to both the telecom service providers and the OTT communication platforms. It will also help establish a regulatory level playing field by ensuring that laws and compliance frameworks governing user identification, geographic accountability and lawful interception protocols apply equally to app-based communication services and telecom service providers.

With this strong policy suggestion, COAI aims to enhance digital safety for users, protect telecom infrastructure, and support law enforcement agencies in their mission to secure the nation’s digital space.

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