Survey: SIM binding may disrupt businesses but is unlikely to stop fraud

Esya Centre surveyed 2,033 consumers and 353 small businesses in India: 82% of firms expect forced logouts to disrupt operations, while 59.2% of consumers and 81% of businesses say SIM binding won't make messaging safer. The DoT mandate was issued in November 2025, with the compliance deadline pushed to December 31, 2026.

• 82% of 353 surveyed firms expect forced logouts to disrupt operations
• 86% of businesses use one business number across multiple devices
• 59.2% of consumers and 81% of businesses doubt SIM binding improves security
• 41% of consumers would buy an extra SIM if the mandate takes effect