State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has been unable to deliver any SIM card–related services for the past few days, halting customer onboarding nationwide since December 1. The outage has prevented the issuance of new and duplicate SIM cards, causing widespread inconvenience to subscribers, according to a Mathrubhumi [1] report dated December 5, 2025.
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Sanchaar Aadhaar App Taken Offline After Unpaid Dues
The disruption began after Sanchaar Aadhaar, the mobile application used by BSNL staff for capturing customer details and processing SIM requests, went offline. The app’s developer, a private company named Intense, reportedly discontinued services at midnight on November 30 after BSNL failed to clear four months of dues. The contract with the firm, renewed annually, had lapsed at the end of November.
"Staff members are trying to calm frustrated customers, saying the app used to issue SIM cards is down and that the outage is affecting BSNL operations nationwide," the report [1] added.
BSNL Staff Cite Non-Functional Replacement App
Applicants seeking new SIM cards or replacements have repeatedly been asked to “come back after a few days,” with no clear timeline provided for resolution. BSNL unions claim it is a nationwide issue, DT Next [2] reported on December 7, 2025.
BSNL sources were quoted in the report [2] as saying that, “the contract of the company operating Sanchar Aadhaar expired on November 30 and has not been renewed by the BSNL. The new indigenous system, Sanchar Mitra, introduced to replace it, is also not functioning. As a result, BSNL’s customer service centres across the city [Chennai], including those inside telephone exchanges, have been unable to issue new SIMs, replacement SIMs or 4G upgrade SIMs.”
A BSNL employee at another centre acknowledged that the new app was not functioning as intended. “I tested a SIM for a customer and it did not activate even after a day. Senior officials are not taking responsibility. We have been told to handle it ourselves,” the staffer said, according to the report [2].
Long Queues and Rising Customer Frustration
The service interruption has triggered long queues and mounting frustration at BSNL exchanges and service centres, as customers seeking replacement SIMs—particularly those who lost phones or are dealing with inoperative cards—have been unable to complete the mandatory verification process. Staff members have informed visitors that the application outage has affected operations across all BSNL circles.
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BSNL Developing In-House Alternative
According to the report [1], BSNL claims its IT division is developing an in-house alternative to the discontinued app, with work underway under the Kerala Circle. The new system is expected to restore SIM activation and reissue services once deployed.
Meanwhile, concerns have surfaced over data flow practices. Customer information collected through the Sanchaar Aadhaar app is routed to BSNL’s SIM inventory management system, Sancharsoft, but passes through Intense's systems servers en route. This arrangement means the private vendor has had access to BSNL’s customer data.
After the disruption of SIM activation and replacement services, we believe BSNL is likely to extend its Rs 1 offer in the coming months, citing a New Year 2026 promotion for new customers.
