DICT mulls longer SIM listup period

FROM INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is considering an extension of the mandatory SIM (subscriber identity module) card registration period as the number of registrants has yet to breach the halfway mark with less than two months to go before the April 26 deadline, an official said.

DICT Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo told reporters on Thursday that they could extend the registration of SIM cards for another 120 days, but they were still “deliberating on the matter.”

“Now we’re focused on increasing the number of registrants before the April 26 deadline,” she said.

All SIM cards not registered by then would be deactivated—unusable for making calls, sending and receiving text messages or making mobile transactions.

As of March 8, 42.06 million SIM cards have already been registered, or about 25 percent of the total 168 million.

Majority or 40.15 million of these registered SIM cards are prepaid while the remaining 1.91 million are accounted for by postpaid accounts.

READ: SIM card registration: A step-by-step guide

Technical difficulties

Records show that 21.45 million of these are registered with Smart Communications Inc. Globe Telecom and DITO Telecommunity accounted for 17.42 million and 3.19 million registered SIM cards, respectively.

The early period of registration, which started on Dec. 27, 2022, was marred by technical difficulties, including online portals being inaccessible or down due to a surge in applications. Other mobile users also had a hard time uploading pictures of their valid IDs.

The National Telecommunications Commission ordered the telcos to report these technical glitches and instructed them to remedy the problems immediately. The telcos expanded the capacity of their digital portals so they could accommodate the large number of applicants without breaking down.

A study by First Metro Securities Brokerage Corp. and DBS Bank Ltd. of Singapore urged Globe, Smart and DITO to offer the best quality of services to keep their mobile subscribers and to encourage them to register under their current operators.

“In the longer run, we see this (SIM card registration) will lead to consolidation of market share toward operators with superior technology that can offer a better user experience versus their competitors,” the research noted.

Globe assistance booths

To speed up compliance ahead of the deadline, the government has been ramping up registration in remote parts of the country, where connectivity is a problem due to a lack of infrastructure. Enlistment is done on online platforms, thus the need for internet connections.

On Thursday, Globe announced that it had deployed additional SIM registration assistance booths across the country to encourage more subscribers to comply.

“We remain committed to providing our customers with the best possible service. Whether they choose to register their SIM online or offline, we are here to support them every step of the way,” Globe channel management group head Cleo Santos said.

READ: Globe postpaid users may confirm SIM registration in just one step

Smart listup desks

Last month, Smart set up registration desks at several Robinsons Malls, its SIM registration partner, to make it easier for its customers, especially senior citizens, persons with disabilities, those using non-data phones and other mobile users who needed help, said Alex Caeg, head of PLDT and Smart consumer sales group.

READ: Smart releases SIM Registration FAQs for all Smart and TNT customers

The SIM card registration law was enacted last year to curb crimes that use cell phones and also against numerous text scams, which have been victimizing mobile users.

Under the law, a telco that fails or refuses to register SIM cards faces a fine of P100,000 to P300,000 for the first offense; P300,000 to P500,000 for the second offense; and P500,000 to P1,000,000 for the third and subsequent offenses.

A person who submits false or fictitious information, identity and identification documents for the registration can be imprisoned for six months to two years and fined P100,000 to P300,000.