Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Mozambique Plans to Introduce SIM Registration

Mozambican telecoms regulator Instituto Nacional das Comunicacoes (INCM) has proposed compulsory SIM card registration for the country’s mobile phone subscribers.

According to a report in Mediafax, the INCM sent a draft bill to the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers requesting that it becomes obligatory for mobile phone operators to register anyone who purchases a pre-paid SIM card.

The calls for SIM card registration come in the wake of widespread riots in Maputo and Matola this month, which were reportedly co-ordinated by text message.

In the aftermath of the riots the INCM imposed a controversial three-day text message suspension on the country’s mobile operators.

INCM Managing Director Americo Muchanga commented: ‘There are several advantages. For example, without registration you can't have access to mobile phone banking and other financial services. Registration is advantageous for anybody who is not a criminal’.

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