Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) says it will likely engage the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) seeking an extension of the mandatory SIM card registration deadline.
The country has adopted mandatory SIM card registration regulations this year, which come into effect in January next year. The mandatory registration is in line with international best practice, with 157 countries in the world currently implementing the exercise.
MTC Chief Executive Officer Licky Erastus said the company has so far registered 25% of its more than 2.5 million active subscribers since the launch of the awareness campaign early this year.
“The challenge that remains as the biggest telecommunication with a share of 90% coverage and clientele, will we make it on time? We are engaging the regulator to see if 12 months are enough. In the same vein, we are looking at parallel interventions to ensure we have met the target by the cut-off date. But the key differentiator is the added value services so that every customer realises the importance of retaining their SIM cards,” said Erastus.
Among the in-house interventions, Erastus said they had already implemented a verification system with Post-paid clients as of last year.
“We were already way ahead before the mandatory registration started. We started a solution-based initiative after encountering challenges with fraud related to post-paid as some clients would open accounts using fraudulent documents.
Thus, we had to use a multi-dimensional technology such as a biometric system to take fingerprints when registering for post-paid, and also avoid using it in criminal activities,” he added.
MTC’s Finance Director Thinus Smit said the telecommunications giant will provide more resources to equip mobile homes with the necessary equipment so that they can register more, while also investing in mobile outreach to cover a wider area.
“It will not be good to reach the deadline because we might be forced to cut off customers, and we do not want to go that route as it will affect our revenue collection,” Smit reasoned.
However, CRAN has already warned citizens to register their sim cards in the coming 12 months or face service provider termination.
