Solon seeks regulation of sale/distribution of SIM cards A lawmaker has proposed to regulate the sale and distribution of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards to discourage unscrupulous people from using these cards in illegal activities. Rep. Sherwin T. Gatchalian (1st District, Valenzuela City) filed House Bill 2624, which mandates the registration of all prepaid SIM cards and requires telecommunication companies to keep a registry of these subscribers. Gatchalian said the seeming boundless stream of supply of SIM cards has become a magnet of nefarious activities. We hear countless victims of text scams, ransom demand thru untraceable mobile numbers and mobile phones become triggering devices for bomb explosion that kill hapless civilians in our midst, Gatchalian said. The bill directs telecommunication companies to ensure that the users of their prepaid SIM cards are properly identified and their addresses verified through the presentation of valid identification cards (IDs) such as government-issued IDs and company IDs among others. It provides that proof of payment of the sale shall be evidenced by an official receipt, duplicates of which shall be submitted by the telecommunication company to the National Telecommunications Company (NTC). Information obtained in the SIM card registration shall be treated as confidential. Except upon order of any competent court or based upon a written request from a government law enforcement agency upon finding of probable cause that a particular number is being used in the commission of a crime or that it was utilized as a means to commit an unlawful act, the telecommunications company shall be obliged to provide the information. All existing prepaid subscribers are required to register their SIM cards with their respective mobile phone companies within three months from the effectivity of this Act. Failure to register within the prescribed period shall authorize the telecommunications company to suspend its services to the negligent user. The telecommunications company shall lift the suspension of its service upon compliance with the provisions of this Act. Telecommunications companies found guilty of violating provisions of the Act shall be fined of P300,000 for the first offense; P500,000 for the second offense and P1,000,000 for the third offense and subsequent offenses. Gatchalian said the government should follow the lead taken by Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei and other countries that have put this into law and succeeded in its effort of regulation. SOURCE: Media Relations Service, Public Relations and Information Bureau
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 05:42:47 +0000