ALL unregistered mobile phone subscriber identity module (Sim) cards in rural areas in Papua New Guinea are to be deactivated today after the deadline for registration passed last night.
Those in urban centres already had their unregistered Sim cards deactivated on Aug 31, according to the National Information Communication Technology Authority (Nicta).
Nicta in a paid advertisement in The National said all Sim cards registration should have been done by yesterday.
Those who failed to register their Sim cards stand to lose their mobile phone numbers, credits and data bundles.
They also have been denied access to mobile banking and other financial services registered to the mobile phone number, and other information communication technology services accessed through the mobile phone number.
They will have to register to get new Sim cards. The amount to pay may differ for each network operator.
Kumul Telikom Holdings Ltd acting chairman Rueben Kautu told The National that bmobile had been reminding its customers through SMS (short messaging services) to register their Sim cards at the care centres.
“We will deactivate the unregistered Sim cards on October 1 (today),” he said.
When asked earlier whether Telikom and bmobile were prepared for the deactivation of unregistered Sim cards, Kautu said they had been complying with Nicta’s regulations.
“We are 100 per cent compliant as we have disconnected all unregistered subscribers,” he said.
“Our new Sims are blocked when sold and unblocked only after the Sim registration is validated as per Nicta regulations.”
Digicel, when contacted for a comment yesterday, referred all queries to Nicta.
Information Communication Technology Minister Timothy Masiu earlier said enough time had been given for Sim registration. The original deadline for the Sim card registration was on July 31 but was extended because of the Covid-19.
The National/PNGEhow
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