SIM binding could end physical travel SIMs but boost eSIM adoption: Experts

The government’s recent mandate on SIM binding is likely to kill the sale of foreign physical SIM cards and global calling cards commonly used by international travellers, as popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp will no longer work on secondary or foreign numbers. However, the move is expected to accelerate the shift towards eSIMs and expand the market for niche travel-connectivity players, said industry executives and analysts.

Under the new rules issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) last month, over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms,