WhatsApp, Telegram to stop working without SIM from this date

If the latest regulatory issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is any indication, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and other apps will stop working without SIM cards from January 01, 2027.

New Delhi: If the latest regulatory issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and other apps will stop working without SIM cards from January 01, 2027.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had in November 2025 issued a 90-day implementation guideline making SIM binding mandatory.

As per the government's proposed SIM-binding requirements, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and other messaging apps could lose access to their accounts if their registered SIM card is removed or deactivated.

The requirements are expected to cover both physical SIM cards and eSIMs. The DoT advisory said in the event that a SIM is removed, replaced or deactivated, the messaging service should suspend until the registered user is restored through a valid SIM card or eSIM profile.

The 90-day enforcement period was supposed to end in February/March 2026. The Department of Telecommunications however extended the deadline till December 31, 2026 following the requests made by the industry.

The DoT said the decision was taken to curb cyber fraud, including phishing, impersonation, scams such as "digital arrest", and to enhance cyber security.

The move is likely to impact WhatsApp or Telegram users over Wi-Fi without registered SIMs. And also those who use more than one device or frequently change their SIM cards.

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