NTC wants compulsory SIM registration law

[radiazone]

By Daxim L. Lucas
Inquirer


TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORS want Congress to pass a law that would require buyers of prepaid subscriber information module (SIM) cards to register their personal details with mobile phone firms.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) hopes that the more stringent rules, if enacted into law, would deter street crimes and petty thefts that have targeted mobile phone owners in recent years.

"We are supporting Congress' initiatives to require the registration of SIM cards because [NTC believes] this is one very important way of reducing the crime rate," NTC Deputy Commissioner Jorge Sarmiento said in a telephone interview.

In particular, the official said the regulator was supporting a bill proposed by Sen. Manuel Villar which required mobile phone stores and dealers to record the personal details of SIM card buyers.

The information is then stored in a data bank either with regulators or with cellular phone firms, which can then be accessed when mobile

phone theft and other cell phone-related crimes occur.

"Cell phones have become so 'commoditized' that it's so easy to buy and sell them nowadays," Sarmiento noted, explaining the attractiveness of mobile phones as a target of crime.

He pointed to the alarming increase in crime statistics showing that victims were targeted--and sometimes killed--for their mobile phones.

Sarmiento said a legislation to tighten the cell phone trade--or at least those of the SIM cards required to operate them--might be the only way to deter these crimes.

"We issued a memorandum circular in 2000 requiring the registration of SIM cards but that has been the subject of a TRO (temporary restraining order) from the courts," he said.

Regulators' move to require prior registration of SIM card buyers was vehemently opposed by mobile phone firms for fear that the process would reduce their sales.

It is also opposed by civil rights advocates who fear that the government may use the registered information to erode the citizens' right to privacy.

Last week, operatives of the NTC and police officials raided several phone dealers in Marikina City as part of a campaign against the trade of fenced mobile phones.

"For now, we have a memorandum circular [requiring] the registration of these establishments," he said. "But it's still not very effective because of the sheer number of vendors around the country."

The NTC earlier teamed up with the Philippine National Police in a bid to clamp down on the booming cellular phone trade which they believe is encouraging criminality.

The primary target of the campaign is to address the illegal sale of lost or stolen cell phones as well as text scams.

[nugundam93]

that's a good one.

sana matuloy ito.

[ozcity]

hayyy sa wakas!!

[bajumbo]

Yay!!!!...

Pero as usual meron na naman kokontra dyan....

[mazdamazda]

It is also opposed by civil rights advocates who fear that the government may use the registered information to erode the citizens' right to privacy.

this is just brainless.

the personal info of postpaid subcribers are already being captured by telco companies... and they are the more affluent buyers who have more to lose on this "privacy" matter.

heck... application form for postpaid telco service contains a LOT of personal / confidential info (like finances, bank, credit card, etc.). while for prepaid, this will just require their name and address.

what a bunch of cry babies.

[picantorange]

this is just brainless.

the personal info of postpaid subcribers are already being captured by telco companies... and they are the more affluent buyers who have more to lose on this "privacy" matter.

heck... application form for postpaid telco service contains a LOT of personal / confidential info (like finances, bank, credit card, etc.). while for prepaid, this will just require their name and address.

what a bunch of cry babies.

Ditto. Wala namang mawawala sa kanila, nag-iinarte pa. I say yes to this. Para madaling i-track down yung mga stalker or spammer.

One question though, since malawak ang sakop nito, mapo-proliferate din kaya ang fake IDs?

[BlueBimmer]

dapat matuloy na yan

[nugundam93]

a lot of civil rights advocates have been cry babies lately...

[radiazone]

dapat 1 sim per person lng, just like what taiwan did last year... also implement the national ID system..

[ghosthunter]

dapat 1 sim per person lng, just like what taiwan did last year... also implement the national ID system..

paano yung mga tao na meron globe, smart & sun celfones at the same time?

One sim card for regular business... a 2nd sim card for funny business.

[boybi]

it's about time.

[dfa172001]

ang dapat unahin ng NTC ay yung kung paano mawawala yung harapang pagnanakaw ng LOAD na ginagawa ng mga mobile TELCO.

[alwayz_yummy]

basta nasa name mo sim mo, un na un..ok ako dyan.. kahit ilan pa yan, nakaregister sa yo....

[NazQ]

OK! mababawasan na din ang mga cellphone scammers..

[Gumusut_Amige]

Bakit kaya palagi tayong huli???

D2 sa Malaysia t'was being implemented already with 1 yr grace period at this time para sa adjustment ng cp prepaid owners. next year pag hindi registered yung sim mo di na pwedeng gamitin dahil you give them no choice but to block. Pero kailangan during the registration process, there's should be a way to check the person registering it.
Mahirap na baka puro Dichaves et al... ang kalabasan.

[falken]

Dapat dati pa. Anyway, better late than never.

[dfa172001]

eh, paano pag me bumili ng sim? at kinuha ng tindera yung name and address, sigurado kaya na yung bumili, yun talaga ang name and address niya? kahit pa siguro sabihin ng NTC na huwag bentahan ang mga bibili ng walang ID, kelangan me ID, masusunod kaya iyon?

[radiazone]

eh, paano pag me bumili ng sim? at kinuha ng tindera yung name and address, sigurado kaya na yung bumili, yun talaga ang name and address niya? kahit pa siguro sabihin ng NTC na huwag bentahan ang mga bibili ng walang ID, kelangan me ID, masusunod kaya iyon?

mas maganda implement din ang national ID system, pra eto na lng ang magiging pruweba mo...

sa taiwan, we submit a photocopy of the following.. passport, ARC (no national ID) and IC card (medical card) at eto ay ifafax ng owner sa telco.. wait for 24hours activation...

dati kasi we buy it then call the operator to register our sim, asking our passport number, ARC and location wait for 24 hours activation...

[mazdamazda]

IMO...

to properly monitor this... dapat sa business centers ng telco and/or big dealers (e.g. wellcom, hello) pwede magbenta.

wag na dapat sa mga small resellers... though shempre ayaw ito ng mga telco kasi bawas ang sales channels nila ng prepaid sim cards.

[CVT]

Let's go for it!