BTRC to Enforce SIM Cap: No More Than 10 Connections per User from August 15
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is set to introduce a new rule limiting each mobile phone subscriber to a maximum of 10 SIM cards. A final directive will be sent to all mobile operators and relevant stakeholders by July 15, with the regulation coming into effect on August 15.
According to sources, this decision was approved during a regular commission meeting held on June 30. Before deactivating excess SIMs, the BTRC will seek users’ input on which numbers to retain.
As per commission data, the new cap will require deactivation of approximately 6.7 million SIMs registered under around 2.6 million users.
BTRC will provide mobile operators with a detailed list showing the number of SIMs registered under each customer’s name. Operators will then contact affected users to determine which 10 SIMs should remain active. Priority will be given to frequently used numbers and those linked with mobile financial services.
Previously, in 2017, the maximum number of SIMs allowed per user was set at 15. Although the SIM registration process was revised in 2022, the per-user limit remained unchanged until now. The commission has taken this new initiative due to a surge in SIM-related fraud, scams, and criminal activities in recent times.
The decision reportedly stems from concerns raised during a recent law and order meeting. Participants in the meeting cited that some individuals were misusing additional SIMs for extortion, blackmail, and fraud. It was also noted that fraudsters were cloning numbers of government officials to commit scams, prompting further urgency in reducing the limit.
As of March 2025, BTRC statistics show there are 186.2 million active SIMs in the country, while the actual number of unique subscribers is approximately 67.5 million. Over 80% of users operate fewer than five SIMs. Six to ten SIMs are held by 16% of subscribers, while only 3% use more than 10.
The BTRC has instructed mobile operators to run awareness and publicity campaigns to inform customers of the upcoming changes and ensure smooth implementation.
