When India Govt's ID Cards Can't Fetch You a Jio 4G SIM!
Fed up with the constant switching of signals between, 4G, 3G, 2G, and No Signal in Airtel 4G, I hoped to get a Reliance Jio 4G connection by switching over to the network using the mobile number portability (MNP) option. I was a heavy user of data (around 20GB every month on Airtel 4G) and my engineer friends had told me that no other service can compete with Jio in terms of data speed and infrastructure. A Google search led to pages that said I needed to download the MyJio app and generate a bar code after getting a one-time password (OTP). After the installation, I promptly got the OTP and could successfully generate the barcode, with the app displaying a message that I can pick up a Jio 4G sim from a nearby outlet. Another requirement was to get a unique porting code (UPC) by sending a message stating "PORT" and my mobile number to 1900 (Refer Customer Guide by TRAI). That was also successfully done. As per the online posts regarding porting to Jio 4G, a customer can either opt for the old method (filling in a Customer Acquisition Form and provide copies of a Proof of Identity and Proof of Address along with a photograph) or provide the Aadhaar number and verfiy the data through fingerprint scanning.
I went to the Jio store at Palarivattom (at Kalvath Tower on Civil Lane Road) along with copies of my passport and driving licence and photos. Over 20 persons were already in the queue and I joined in. It took over an hour to reach my turn. The 'official' there asked me for my Aadhaar number and I said I don't have it but have copies of passport and driving licence. However, he bluntly said 'No' and asked me to move aside. The security guard who was standing nearby said the SIM would be given only if you have Aadhaar number or card with you.
I had copies of a valid passport issued by the Government of India and a valid driving licence issued by the motor vehicles department of the Government of Kerala but they were not enough for Reliance Jio to give me a SIM. Funnily enough, Reliance Jio states in their own website that any Proof of Address and Proof of Identity are enough to get a SIM.