Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the state-run telecom company, launched doorstep delivery services for SIM cards, catering to both prepaid and postpaid users. The same can be accessed through an online portal launched by the telco, enabling users to obtain a SIM card at home with just a simple registration. The portal even allows users to choose between prepaid and postpaid services while registering for the service. 

A similar service was started by Bharti Airtel, India’s 2nd biggest telco, a few months back in collaboration with BlinkIt, the quick commerce platform. Following the same, the Department of Telecommunications under the government of India sent emails to several telecom service providers (TSPs), asking them to strictly follow the current self-KYC rules. According to sources quoted by ET, the services hadn't been stopped but were temporarily on hold.

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SIM Delivery: Boosting Last-Mile Connectivity

Unlike Airtel, which was accessible only through BlinkIt, BSNL has tried to make its services accessible across the board without limiting them to some services available or not available in a location. The portal allows people to access the service anywhere, anytime, digitally, and embrace the service with just their PIN code, name, and an alternate mobile number.

This makes the process way easier, seamless, and accessible, bridging the last-mile connectivity to make BSNL reach more and more territories across India, riding on the digital revolution itself. This would enable the telco to reach the most distant part of the nation, boosting its reach.

Cashing in on Potential Opportunities

The arrangement seems to capitalize on the existing digital infrastructure and market trend to tackle the subscriber loss that the telco has been witnessing recently. According to the latest telecom subscription data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the operator lost 0.2 million total subscribers and 1.8 million active users in April.

To read about the recent research claiming an increase in user sending on phones, click here! 

More Convenience Unlocked 

Once the SIM card is delivered, customers can quickly activate their number through Aadhaar-based KYC authentication. They have the option to select either a postpaid or prepaid plan or use Mobile Number Portability (MNP) to switch to the BSNL network. 

With this move, BSNL has joined private players such as Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) in the Indian telecom sector to offer home delivery of SIM cards.