Sri Lanka instructs cellcos to register SIMs
In this article (5)
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has instructed the nation’s operators to register their customers SIMs in order to curb fraud and crime.
The operators have been told to register SIMs with owners’ personal details and photocopies of their National Identity Cards, the Daily Mirror reported.
President Maithripala Sirisena had proposed the SIM registration scheme after it was observed that a large number of active SIMs have been issued without proper documentation on the identity of the customers.
Sri Lanka will be following other APAC nations in implementing a mandatory SIM registration scheme, such as Thailand, Bangladesh and Cambodia.
Sri Lanka’s mobile market is dominated by the big three operators Dialog Axiata, Mobitel and Etisalat. Mobitel is in the process of being separated from parent company Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) and listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. The government currently owns a 49.5% stake in SLT.
Questions & Answers
Q.Why has the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) instructed operators to register SIMs?
Why has the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) instructed operators to register SIMs?
The TRCSL has given this instruction to operators as a measure to curb fraud and crime. President Maithripala Sirisena proposed the scheme after many active SIMs were found to lack proper customer identity documentation.
Q.What information will be required to register a SIM in Sri Lanka?
What information will be required to register a SIM in Sri Lanka?
Operators have been told to register SIMs using owners' personal details. This process will also require photocopies of the owners' National Identity Cards, according to reports.
Q.Which other countries in the APAC region have implemented mandatory SIM registration schemes?
Which other countries in the APAC region have implemented mandatory SIM registration schemes?
Sri Lanka is following the lead of several other APAC nations in implementing mandatory SIM registration. Examples mentioned in the article include Thailand, Bangladesh, and Cambodia.
Q.What is the current ownership situation of Mobitel?
What is the current ownership situation of Mobitel?
Mobitel is currently in the process of being separated from its parent company, Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT). It is also being listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange; the government holds a 49.5% stake in SLT.
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