KYC (Know-Your-Customer) in Telecom
KYC is the process by which a telecom carrier verifies the identity, address, and authorization of a customer before issuing a phone number. KYC requirements vary by country — some require a national ID, others just a verified business address.
Why telecom requires KYC
- Anti-fraud: stops bad actors from acquiring numbers for spam, robocalls, fraud schemes.
- STIR/SHAKEN attestation: A-attestation requires the carrier to verify the customer owns the number, which requires verified identity.
- Regulatory: the EU Electronic Communications Code, the UK Ofcom KYC rules, Indian DoT, German BNetzA all require carrier-side identity verification.
- Lawful intercept: if law enforcement subpoenas a number, the carrier must be able to identify the user.
Common KYC requirements by country
| Country | Required documents |
|---|---|
| United States | Business name + service address (light KYC for most ranges) |
| United Kingdom | UK service address (residential or business) |
| Germany | Verified DE address; mobile DIDs require ID |
| India | Aadhaar or company GSTIN + local registered office |
| Israel | Local business or registered agent |
| Brazil | CNPJ (company) or CPF (individual) + verified address |
| UAE | Trade license + Emirates ID |
DIDHub KYC handling
DIDHub coordinates KYC for non-resident customers in 130+ countries via virtual office / registered-agent partners. Typical end-to-end timing: 1-3 business days for low-KYC countries (US, UK, NL, etc.); 5-15 business days for high-KYC countries (DE, IN, KR, AE).
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