Apple has made the necessary changes in its iOS system to support SIM binding, reported CNBC journalist Aseem Manchanda, as the deadline set for the SIM binding mandate by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) nears December 31. However, an industry source told MediaNama that Apple had initially pushed back against SIM binding and was planning to submit its representation to the DoT.
“Without deep OS-level support from Apple or Google, continuous SIM validation is technically infeasible,” said Parag Kar, telecom specialist and former Qualcomm Vice President for Government Affairs (India & South Asia) after the SIM Binding rules were first announced in November 2025. When the government had announced the postponement of the deadline for SIM binding, an anonymous DOT official told to the Hindustan Times that the technical challenges, including testing and operating system (OS) updates, as the reason for the extended deadline.
Signal has not responded to the government notices on the Sim Binding rules, CNBC reported. MediaNama too has tried to contact with Signal and all the messaging applications that DOT sent notices to, we only heard back from WhatsApp and Zoho’s Arattai.
Compliance confirmations only from WhatsApp and Arattai: While Telegram hasn’t clarified about the compliance and implementation yet, WhatsApp has clarified and confirmed to MediaNama that it was developing the required features for SIM Binding.
Similarly, Arattai has also confirmed to MediaNama that it will also implement the SIM binding. Whereas SnapChat appears to be maintaining that the SIM Binding rules don’t apply to them since it doesn’t use the phone number as the identifier to identify the users. For some context, DoT has sent the notices to: WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Arattai, Snapchat, Sharechat, Jiochat, and Josh.
While the uncertainty applicability pertaining the e-SIMs persists, CNBC report claimed that “WhatsApp and Telegram Messenger will require a Physical Sim to operate.”
"WhatsApp and Telegram Messenger will require a physical sim to operate"
— nisarga (@ni5arga) October 22, 2026
my new iPhone does not even have a physical sim card slot, wtf is this rule?
When Nikhil Pahwa, founder and editor of MediaNama criticized the government move arguing that the government has “no idea how much will break” and doesn’t seems to bother about the impact of SIM binding on the required users and businesses, reporter Manchanda said that “Scammers are activating messenger apps and operating them outside the country” and “technology should be dealt with technology.”
MediaNama has sent emails seeking confirmation and clarification from Apple and Google regarding the technical feasibility of SIM binding, and to messaging apps regarding their compliance status. We’ll update the copy if and when we receive the response.
Read MediaNama’s coverage on the technical difficulties of implementing SIM binding and its real-life impact, if implemented:
- True SIM Binding For Message Apps May Be Technically Infeasible: Experts
- What Is SIM Binding and What Does It Actually Do?
- From Cafés To Offices, How SIM Binding Directions Could Turn Messaging Into A Chore
- What Are the Real-World Use Cases That SIM Binding Restricts?
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