ZICTA directs mobile service providers to strike off unregistered SIM cards

THE Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has warned that failure by mobile service providers to strike off unregistered SIM cards after the expiry of the registration deadline is tantamount to abrogating the law.

ZICTA public relations manager Ngabo Nankonde urged mobile phone users whose SIM cards were disconnected despite having registered them to report to their respective service providers.

Ms Nankonde said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the law and Government’s directive on SIM cards were clear and, thus, all mobile service providers were expected to adhere to that.

“Those who registered their SIM Cards but have been disconnected have to go to their respective mobile service providers to report the matter immediately.

“As for those who did not register their SIM cards but are still connected, the Act is very clear and so is the Government directive. Any mobile service provider connecting unregistered SIM cards is breaking the law and going against the Government directive,” she said.

Ms Nankonde said currently, a ZICTA technical team was in the field to investigate the matter and that the authority would act based on the report it would receive from the team.

In August last year, Transport, Communications, Works and Supply Minister Yamfwa Mukanga announced December 31, 2013 as the deadline for the SIM card registration exercise.

The deadline was, however, extended to January 31, 2014.

At the time he was announcing the extension of the registration process, Mr Mukanga said as at December 30, 2013, 6.8 million subscribers had registered their SIM cards out of a mobile phone service subscriber base of 10.3 million.

Ms Nankonde said the number of registered SIM cards had risen to about eight million as at yesterday.

Following the expiry of the extension period on January 31, 2014, some mobile phone subscribers complained of their SIM cards being deactivated despite them being registered while others who did not register their SIM cards were still connected.