Thai cellcos must register SIMs or lose licenses
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Thailand’s telecoms regulator NBTC has warned operators that they will have their operating licenses immediately revoked if they fail to register prepaid SIMs sold from now on.
The regulator has also warned that operators may be fined if phones with an unregistered SIM are sued for illegal activity.
According to the NBTC, the regulator still gets new entries to its online customer information registration system that state “not registered,” despite introducing mandatory SIM registration more than a year ago.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith has stated that there will be “no more warning messages from now on,” and that operators allowing prepaid customers to use services without registering their details will have their licenses revoked immediately.
The warning comes in the wake of a spate of recent bombing attacks in the south of the nation, and follows a meeting between the NBTC and more than 20 mobile operators and MVNOs to discuss the issue.
According to a source quoted for the report, there were 36 mobile numbers involved in the recent bombing, and three of these had not been registered.
Regulators are also proposing introducing special tracking SIMs for foreigners as part of Thailand’s SIM registration policy.
Questions & Answers
Q.What immediate consequence do operators face if they fail to register prepaid SIMs sold from now on?
What immediate consequence do operators face if they fail to register prepaid SIMs sold from now on?
Operators will have their operating licenses immediately revoked by the NBTC. This stringent measure aims to enforce compliance with the mandatory SIM registration policy, which has been in place for over a year.
Q.Beyond license revocation, what other penalty might operators incur if unregistered SIMs are used for illegal activities?
Beyond license revocation, what other penalty might operators incur if unregistered SIMs are used for illegal activities?
Operators may also face fines if phones with unregistered SIMs are subsequently used to commit illegal activities. This adds another layer of enforcement for failing to properly register customer details as required by the regulator.
Q.Why has the NBTC issued such a strong warning about SIM registration now?
Why has the NBTC issued such a strong warning about SIM registration now?
The warning follows recent bombing attacks in the south of Thailand, where 36 mobile numbers were involved, and three of these were unregistered. This incident highlighted the security concerns related to unregistered SIMs.
Q.What new proposal is being considered by regulators regarding SIM registration in Thailand?
What new proposal is being considered by regulators regarding SIM registration in Thailand?
Regulators are proposing the introduction of special tracking SIMs specifically for foreign visitors. This is being considered as an additional measure within Thailand's broader SIM registration policy to enhance security.
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