SIM registration hitches: In defense of the telcos
Glitches and server issues affected thousands of mobile subscribers who wanted to register their SIM cards on the first day of implementation of the SIM card Registration law on tuesday. Mobile phone users reported that the registration sites of their telcos either crashed or can’t be accessed.
The telcos have been preparing for a heavy turnout on the first day of registration. However, a last-minute requirement, which is the inclusion of a registrant’s selfie holding his valid ID, completely ruined their readiness. As a result, all laid out plans for the gargantuan task of registering more than 160 million SIM cards have to change, as they need to recalibrate their registration sites at the last minute.
Smart Communications advised users at around 9 on Tuesday morning that subscribers may face difficulty accessing its registration page after a high number of users were on its site. “Our technical team is working on increasing capacity,” Smart said.
Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s chief sustainability and corporate communications officer, was heard on radio saying the group’s registration portal had been taken down temporarily to fix issues with its verification process, which asked users to upload a selfie. This additional step was added after the government required telcos to verify users’ information upon registering their SIM cards.
“If you recall, what the law asked of telcos is to register (SIMS) and in the registration process, you need to input all your data. But yesterday, based on the press conference, the government asked for some form of verification…. That’s why we are now asking for a selfie,” Crisanto said, disclosing where the registration “nightmare” started. “We need to adjust our system to follow what is asked of us.”
Initially, the government asked the telcos to get user’s full name, date of birth, sex, home address, and a valid ID: Passport, National ID, SSS ID, GSIS ID, Driver’s license, NBI clearance, Police clearance, Firearms’ License to Own and Possess ID, PRC (Professional Regulation Commission) ID, Integrated Bar of the Philippines ID, OWWA ID, BIR ID, Voter’s ID, Senior citizen’s card, UMID (Unified Multi-purpose Identification) Card, Person with Disabilities card, or other government-issued ID with photo.
For businesses that register their SIM cards, they are required to provide the following documents: SEC Certificate of Registration or DTI Registration, Board Resolution designating the authorized representative, or Special Power of Attorney, in the case of other juridical entities.
Signed into law in October, Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Registration Act aims to fight text (SMS) scams that have become prevalent in the country. It was the first law signed by President Marcos, mandating users of all mobile devices, including prepaid broadband devices, to register their SIMS with their respective telcos or face deactivation.
You can register for free multiple SIM cards from any network and as many as you want under your name. The law has no limit on the number of SIM cards you can enroll.
As we said, there are more than 160 million SIM cards currently in use in the Philippines that need to be enrolled within 180 days, or until April 26, 2023. Despite unforeseen hitches on the first day of registration, telecommunications companies have assured subscribers that they are prepared to handle the heavy volume in the coming days.
More than the glitches and server issues encountered, there’s a bigger challenge for the telcos that we hope they can solve in 180 days. This pertains to the 35 million SIM cards owned by people living in areas with no Internet connection. The law says SIM card registration will be done electronically using a secure platform or website provided by the telcos. How can these people enroll their SIM cards if they have no Internet access? The answer, of course, is to bring to them portable broadband. But the permanent solution to bridge the country’s digital divide is the implementation of the National Broadband Plan.