Deactivation of SIM cards starts July 26

Registration deadline won’t be extended – DICT

MANILA, Philippines — The government will start deactivating unregistered mobile numbers on July 26, insisting that it has given enough time for subscribers to enlist their SIM.

“No extension because July 25 is a hard deadline. Those who have yet to register by 12:01 a.m. of July 26, they will no longer be able to access connectivity services,” Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy warned yesterday.

Subscribers who fail to register before the upcoming deadline will lose access to mobile services like calls, data and texts, unless they reactivate their SIM.

When a SIM is deactivated, its owner will be given five days to reactivate it through registration, or else the telco provider will shut the mobile number for good.

“Based on the data of some of the telcos, they have registered 99 percent of their revenue generating base, meaning subscribers who actively buy a load or pay for a postpaid plan,” Uy said.

He said it is safe to assume now that unregistered numbers belong to one-time users like scammers and telemarketers.

“We are already there and those who have yet to register are either hardheaded people or really involved in scams,” he added.

Republic Act 11934, or the SIM Registration Act, mandates all consumers to register their SIM with the goal of eliminating the prevalence of digital fraud, particularly messaging scams.

Originally, the government was supposed to end SIM registration in the initial deadline of April 26, but this was moved to July 25 due to appeals from the telco industry to capture mainly subscribers in areas with weak to no cellular signal.

Both Smart Communications Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. believe that consumers were provided with enough time to register their SIM.

Globe, for one, has even made SIM registration available through e-wallet application GCash to simplify the procedure for everyone.

Based on records, telco operators have covered 62 percent, or 104.33 million, of the 168 million SIM nationwide, with Smart leading the tally registering 74 percent of its subscriber base, ahead of Globe’s 55 percent and Dito Telecommunity Corp.’s 50 percent.

Connectivity index

With the purpose of establishing a standardized Connectivity Index Rating in the country, the DICT partnered with the members of the Private Sector Advisory Council-Digital Infrastructure Group through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on July 21.

The Connectivity Index Rating system is a user-friendly measurement of the quality of internet experience within indoor spaces such as such as airports, shopping malls, hotels, libraries, restaurants and coffee shops.

The index’s criteria include availability and consistency of WiFi and mobile network signal, in-room and common space coverage and security of internet access.

The index aims to push property owners, local government units, mall developers, government agencies and enterprises to adjust their fiber connectivity to provide quality internet experience based on foot-traffic demand, especially inside buildings.

The MOU was forged between DICT and major telecommunications companies Globe, PLDT, Smart, DITO and Converge, formalizing the establishment of a technical working group which will generate a standard to which property owners and state agencies will adhere to in rightsizing connectivity based on demand.

“The benefits of having a nationwide benchmark for internet quality in a particular area could not be overstated. For businesses and public institutions, the Connectivity Index Rating will allow them to optimize their connectivity requirements based on the volume of user-traffic that they accommodate in their area,” Uy said.

“The Connectivity Index Rating is also seen to push businesses to innovate and invest in quality connectivity solutions that will, among others, increase brand recognition and expand their customer base,” he added.

Leaders from the telecommunications companies expressed their support for the establishment of the connectivity rating.

“The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is an important step towards truly enhancing the digital landscape of the country. Indoor service experience has been a common complaint among customers and the decision of selecting service providers, including which data plan to get, lies in the hands of building and establishment owners,” Ernest Cu, Globe Group president and CEO, said.

“Through this rating, public and private sector players will be able to easily identify areas that need connectivity improvement, leading to efficient and effective network investments. Customers can immediately give feedback about their experience which will ultimately redound to improving overall internet service in the country,” Cu added.

“This benchmark will effectively inject transparency into the internet readiness of public spaces and push property owners to improve their digital infrastructure as required by their users,” said Converge CEO Dennis Anthony Uy.

“This initiative is aligned with the PLDT Group’s commitment to ensure the highest possible quality of internet and connectivity service for all Filipinos, as well as support the government’s thrust to digitally transform the Philippines,” said PLDT and Smart president and CEO Alfredo Panlilio.

“We fully support the Marcos administration’s aim to transform our economy through digitalization and connectivity… We can only achieve this through partnership and collaboration between the government and the telco sector,” said DITO Telecommunity Corp. CEO Dennis Ang Uy. — Jose Rodel Clapano