The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has warned Kenyans that if their Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards are not registered by the end of April, they will lose their lines and telecoms services will be halted.
According to CA’s Telecom Compliance, Licensing and Standards Director Julius Lenaseiyan, the agency is enforcing the rules after a large number of unregistered SIM cards were sold to people in the country by unlicensed operators and agents.
“A person who intends to register a SIM-card shall provide verifiable registration particulars which include a national ID for citizens and passports for refugees and other outsiders,” Lenaseiyan stated.
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Records from the CA show that the majority of unregistered cards have been discovered among the elderly who purchased their mobile phones before to 2015, when the rule was ineffectual.
“The SIM card regulations 2015 now stipulates that the Mobile operators namely Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom should re-register their subscribers by updating their details with a digital passport size photo of the customers.
The new restrictions are also designed to reduce fraudulent SIM card use and keep subscriber information databases up to date.
“Hawkers and Agents who contravene the regulations will also be arrested,” the CA official said.
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Telecommunications companies have been asked to thoroughly verify identifying documents given by users with the Integrated Population Registration System during the registration process (IPRS).
According to the regulatory body, compliance of the regulations will be achieved through regular auditing of the Mobile Network Operators’ (MNOs) subscriber registration and management systems. The agency will also be requesting quarterly and annual reports from the operators to follow up on how the regulations are being implemented.
CA says the process of registering SIM cards has been ongoing albeit slow with operators constantly requesting more time to consult with their customers. The Authority is therefore providing a deadline and encouraging operators to notify all their unregistered subscribers of its intention to suspend telecommunication services if they do not comply with the provisions of these regulations.
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