The government has issued an extension for Sim card registration period to April 30th. Sam Basil, Minister for Communications Information Technology and Energy, said that Sim card users who would fail to register would be fined PGK 50,000. This would apply for each unregistered Sim card phone number when the deadline elapses.
The extension was due to complaints lodged by people in rural areas who pointed out that they did not have access to registration posts in urban centers. Both Communication Information Technology and National Information and Communication Technology Authority (NICTA) Ministries had received the complaints. These ministries, in discussions with telecom companies in PNG, considered the issue and decided to extend the registration deadline.
Reports indicate that telecom service providers have so far recorded less than 80 percent of their consumers. The main dealer has so far recorded 74 percent of its subscribers with Bmobile- Vodafone reporting registration of its subscribers at 62 percent. Digicel PNG has so far registered 42 percent of its consumers.
PNG NICTA directives warned that the Sim cards registration was a mandatory requirement for all. They also said that the registration would help users to safeguard their Sim cards from exploitation by fraudulent criminals. This exercise would also ease verification process in Sim card replacements in future.
The officials also laid out the Sim card registration procedures. A consumer should visit a Sim registration point near them accompanied by their Identification document, Sim card(s) and a mobile phone. The person should then fill a Sim registration form and present it to the agent. The agent is required to proceed to capture the person’s information details from the filled form. These include details of the form, photo of the Sim card owner and a valid ID card. Identification Documents allowed are the NID, Driver’s License, Passport number or a Work ID. In cases where one lacks an ID, a letter from a reputable person will be used instead.