DICT sticks to April 26 deadline on SIM listing

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Wednesday said that while will it acknowledges the request of public telecommunications entities (PTES) to extend the SIM registration period, it is bent on sticking to the original April 26 deadline.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ICT department said, “there is no extension of SIM registration,” and it “encourages everyone to register to promote the responsible use of SIMS and provide law enforcement agencies the necessary tools to crack down on perpetrators who use SIMS for their crimes, consistent with the declared policy of the law.”

“Also, the DICT reminds the public that non-registration will result in the deactivation of their SIMS, barring them from receiving and sending calls and text messages and accessing mobile applications and digital wallets,” it said.

Telcos Globe Telecom Inc., Smart Communications Inc., and Dito Telecommunity Corp. all called for the extension of the SIM registration deadline, citing registration data.

As of April 17, a total of 73.03 million SIMS have been registered with the three telcos still far from the total Philippine SIM universe of 169 million subscribers.

“The DICT reiterates that the SIM Registration Act places primacy on the fundamental rights of Filipinos and is replete with safeguards to ensure the confidentiality and security of user data. The DICT is one with PTES in ensuring that Filipinos can enjoy safe and secure mobile phone services through the holistic implementation of the SIM Registration Act,” the DICT said.