(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines – Even though technical glitches plagued the first two days of the SIM card registration period, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) reported Thursday that more than 3.3 million SIM cards had been registered so far.
Based on the data released by the NTC, 3.319 million SIM cards have been enrolled as of December 28 – 530,424 with Dito Telecommunity, 1,769,374 with Globe Telecom Inc., and 1,019,207 with Smart Communications Inc.
“Sa tingin po namin, if we have around 160 million to 180 million active SIMs as of late, iyong period po na 180 days, based po sa rate ng registration natin which will improve on the later days, magiging sapat po,” NTC Deputy Commissioner Jon Paulo Salvahan said in a Laging Handa briefing.
(We believe that if we have around 160 to 180 million active SIMs, the 180 days, based on the registration rate, which will improve later, will be sufficient.)
The SIM card registration law, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in October, will require existing mobile subscribers to register their SIM cards until April 26, 2023, to avoid deactivation.
The deadline, however, may be extended for another 120 days.
Unregistered SIM cards would be deactivated, hindering subscribers from making calls, sending messages, and conducting e-commerce transactions.
Meanwhile, SIM cards bought beyond April 27 are deactivated by default and can only be activated through registration.