MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is considering extending the mandatory SIM (subscriber identity module) card registration, supposedly to end on April 26, 2023.
This decision is due to records showing only nearly half of the subscribers have yet to register two months before the set deadline.
DICT Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo said on Thursday that DICT is contemplating and deliberating on the possible extension of SIM card registration for another 120 days.
In its latest tally, the agency said the number of registered subscribers recorded is 41.47 million, which is only 24.54 percent of the country’s 168.98 million SIM users or subscribers.
The figures provided by the DICT exhibited the following breakdown: Smart registered a total of 21.12 million SIM cards which is 31.05 percent of its 68 million subscribers; Globe recorded 17.21 million or 19.58 percent of its 87,873,936 subscribers; and DITO reported 3.15 million or 24.02 percent of its 13.11 million subscribers.
Under the law, the DICT is allowed to extend the registration of SIMs by 120 days more. After the extension, unregistered mobile numbers will be deactivated and may only be reactivated upon signing up with their telco provider.
As mandated by Republic Act 11934 of the SIM Card Registration Act, all existing subscribers are required to register their numbers with their respective service networks. This policy aims at preventing or eliminating digital scamming as all SIMs and mobile numbers become traceable by the government. –WhatALife!/Anthony
ALSO READ: Smart Communications Inc. set up SIM registration booths at Robinsons Malls nationwide
Leave a Reply