NOC (SIM license)

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, issues/renews No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the sale/rent of International Roaming SIM Cards and Global Calling Cards (GCC) of foreign operators in India. The cards are intended for use outside India, with limited activation permitted in India for test/emergency calls (48 hours before departure and 24 hours after arrival). Strict identity verification is required from customers, and monthly reports on card sales/rentals must be submitted to designated security agencies. Companies face penalties for exceeding activation time limits and must submit annual reports. The DoT can inspect facilities and suspend/revoke the NOC with prior notice if necessary. The NOC is initially valid for three years and can be renewed.

Details of Service

The NOC for International Roaming SIM Cards/Global Calling Cards outlines specific operating conditions that NOC holders must adhere to regarding the services offered. These conditions include:

Tariff and Contact Information: Providing tariff plans, terms and conditions, and contact details (in India and the visiting country) to the customer when handing over the SIM. This includes an escalation matrix with functional mobile numbers and email addresses of the NOC holder's officers

Website Information: Displaying all applicable tariff rates under a 'Tariff Plans' link and contact details under a 'Contact us' link on the NOC holder's website. If the NOC holder has a website, they should also provide links to the foreign service providers' websites, enabling consumers to learn about network coverage and customer complaint redressal systems. If a website is unavailable, the NOC holder must provide the website links of the foreign player to the customer when selling/renting the SIMs.

Customer Care: Ensuring that consumers are provided with toll-free customer care service by the foreign partner in the destination country, if possible. If toll-free service is unavailable, consumers may be charged at the local call rate.

Itemized Billing (Post-paid): Issuing post-paid customers an itemized bill (hard copy or electronic form) that clearly shows the date, time, pulse, and actual rate of outgoing/incoming calls, date, time, and actual rate of SMS usage, date, time, data used (Kilobytes), and rate charged for data usage, and any other type of usage.

Billing Details (Pre-paid): Providing prepaid customers with such details on request for a pre-determined reasonable fee.

Billing Cycle: Providing itemized bills within a reasonable time period after the journey's end, which should be clearly mentioned in the terms and conditions. For journeys exceeding 30 days, the itemized bill should be generated in 30-day cycles from the commencement date and provided to the customer within a reasonable period as mentioned in the terms and conditions.

Service Information: Informing customers about the types of services offered (data service, voice service, or both) before selling/renting the cards.

Credit Limits: Transparently informing consumers purchasing a post-paid card about the credit limit fixed by the foreign service provider at the time of sale/rental, and later in advance via SMS/USSD message before reaching the credit limit. If the credit limit is breached, services should be barred until the customer deposits the necessary amount.

Grievance Redressal: Strengthening the billing and consumer grievance redressal mechanism to facilitate time-bound resolution of billing grievances within 30 days. The appellate authority for handling grievances against NOC holders is DOG (Admin), DGT HQ/ DOG (PG), DOT HQ.

Customer Care Service: Developing and offering customer care service preferably free of charge or at a nominal charge (not more than applicable local call charges), which should be transparently communicated to customers. The company must keep records of complaints received and resolved and provide them to DoT when asked. However, customers can approach the PG cell of DoT field units for grievances against the NOC holder.

Who Can Apply

Company registered under Company Act 2013. NOC can be applied over https://www.nsws.gov.in/ . Further requirement may seen in revised NOC policy 14.01.2022.

Documents Required

a. Copy of registration certified by Company Secretary/Statutory Auditor and countersigned by Director duly authorized by the company.

b. Articles of Association certified by Company Secretary/Statutory Auditor and countersigned by Director duly authorized by the company.

c. Memorandum of Association certified by Company Secretary/Statutory Auditor and countersigned by Director duly authorized by the company

d. Equity Details certificate from the Company Secretary/Statutory Auditor countersigned by the Director duly authorized by the company.

e. Certified copy of the valid agreement between Applicant Company and foreign telecom company for the duration of the NOC duly certified by Company Secretary/Statuary Auditor and countersigned by Director duly authorised by the company

f. Procedure of making the calls/ data sessions

g. Power of Attorney by Resolution of board of Directors

h. Payment Challan Copy