Introduction to Mobile Number Verification Platform

The Indian government is planning to set up a platform that will allow banks and financial institutions to verify mobile phone numbers. This move aims to tackle increasing online frauds like phishing. Telecom operators will likely benefit from this platform as they will receive a fee for every verification request.

How the Platform Will Work

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has not yet finalized the fee structure, but it will be determined in the coming months when the platform is launched. According to officials, the verification fee can be shared between the government and telecom operators. Telecom operators will be mandated to onboard the platform for verification requests.

Voluntary Adoption for Other Entities

Other entities, such as banks and financial institutions, can use the service voluntarily as per their requirements. However, they will not be mandated to adopt the service.

Mobile Number Verification Platform

The mobile number verification (MNV) platform will be set up as part of the new telecom cybersecurity rules, which were notified recently. The platform will be a key tool to tackle increasing frauds, including phishing, as it will help in verifying the ownership of the mobile number.

Current Mechanism

Currently, there is no legal mechanism that ensures mobile numbers linked to bank accounts truly belong to the account holders. To address this gap, the MNV platform will let banks and fintech firms verify ownership of telephone numbers directly with telecom providers.

Fee Structure

The telecom operators had requested to fix the fee themselves, but the DoT has rejected the request. The DoT will finalize the fee after consultations with stakeholders. In the draft cybersecurity rules, the DoT had prescribed a fee of Rs 1.5-3 per request, but it has been removed in the final rules that have been notified.

Publication Details

Published On Oct 30, 2025 at 06:11 AM IST

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