DoT proposes OTP based process for conversion of mobile connection from prepaid to postpaid and vice versa

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) today issued the Proof of Concept (PoC) for conversion of mobile connection from prepaid to postpaid and vice versa through OTP based process. COAI had on 9th April 2020 requested for permission for migration of mobile customers from prepaid to postpaid and vice-versa without undertaking fresh KYC procedure and by using OTP based authentication.

DoT’s earlier guidelines dating back to 2012 had stated in that case of change of exisiting mobile connection from pre-paid to post-paid and vice versa, the customer will have to undergo the KYC process again.

In case of conversion of mobile connection from prepaid to postpaid their is no change in the ownership of the mobile connection with the SIM remaining in the possession of the customer with only change in the billing type. With OTP based authentication becoming an acceptable norm in all sectors in recent past and most of the citizen centric services being offered with OTP authentications and contactless services being promoted in the present era for subscriber convenience and ease of doing business.

DoT’s Proof of Concept (PoC) for conversion from pre-paid to postpaid and vice versa can be carried out by the Telecom Service Providers as per the procedure laid down. The decision regarding they implementation of the procedure shall be taken after the assessment of the outcome of the PoC.

Proposed OTP based process for conversion of mobile connection from pre-paid to post-paid and vice-versa

• Any subscriber desirous of conversion of his/her existing mobile connection from Prepaid to Postpaid or vice-versa shall send a request to the Licensee for the same. The request may be sent via SMS, IVRS, website or authorised app of the Licensee.
• Upon receiving the request, a message will be sent to the subscriber’s mobile number that he/she has requested for conversion of his/her number from Prepaid to Postpaid or vice-versa (as the case may be). The message shall include a unique transaction-Id and a One-Time Password (OTP). The generated OTP shall have an expiry time of 10 minutes.
• The successful validation of the OTP, through SMS, IVRS, website or authorised app of the Licensee as the case may be, shall be treated as the consent of the subscriber for the conversion from Prepaid to Postpaid or vice-versa.
• The subscriber shall be intimated about the date and time of conversion in advance by sending a text message or through IVRS.
• After this, the requested conversion shall be executed at the date and time intimated to the subscriber.
• After the completion of the conversion, a text message containing the confirmation of the conversion requested by the subscriber shall be sent to the subscriber’s mobile number.
• The disruption of services, if any, during the said conversion shall not exceed 30 minutes.
• The details (request of the subscriber, date and time of request, unique transaction-id, OTP consent, date and time of conversion etc.) of all conversions in respect of a mobile connection shall be maintained by the Licensee in its system.
• The current details of conversion (date and time of request of the subscriber, unique transaction-id, date and time of conversion, current Prepaid/Postpaid status after conversion) shall be inserted at the end of the Subscriber database by the Licensee.
• A subscriber shall be allowed to re-convert only after 90 days of the previous conversion. This shall also be intimated by the Licensee to the subscriber before the start of the conversion process.
• This conversion process shall not be applicable for mobile connections of J&K LSA. The process shall also not be applicable for the Bulk mobile connection category.
• The mobile connections converted from Prepaid to Postpaid using this process shall not be allowed roaming facility in J&K LSA.
• The above-mentioned process shall be applicable for mobile connections issued by Paper-based process, e-KYC process and D-KYC process. This will be an alternate process to the existing process of conversion in place.
• The Licensee shall ensure that only bonafide subscribers are migrated through this process and there shall be no change in ownership and/or demographic details of the subscriber.
• The SIM card shall remain in the possession of the subscriber and no change of SIM is involved in the process.
• The Licensee shall ensure that all the roaming restrictions imposed by DoT from time to time between J&K LSA and the rest of the country shall be scrupulously followed. Any lapse in this respect shall be the responsibility of the Licensee.
• Implementation of the process for conversion from Prepaid to Postpaid and Postpaid to Prepaid shall be simultaneous.