Regulator to issue SIM fines
Mobile operators must now start disconnecting the SIM cards of prepaid mobile users who failed to register their numbers or face stiff penalties, warns the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
Operators will have to pay a fine of 0.3% of their total annual revenue if the regulator finds any unregistered user of SIM cards used their number to ignite a bomb.
The order was made to ensure new security is being implemented to prevent bombs that use a mobile phone as a trigger device.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said the regulator yesterday started sending the order letters to all mobile operators, forcing them to cut off the phone signals of unregistered prepaid numbers.
The regulator previously announced that prepaid mobile users who failed to register their personal information by the July 31 deadline would be cut off and unable to use outbound mobile calling and data services.
Those users can still receive incoming calls and SMS messages for one more month.
Operators must inform such users 30 days before cutting off their services, in line with regulations governing telecom service contracts.
The cabinet last month approved the regulation requiring all mobile users to register their prepaid SIM cards earlier this year as part of the national security agenda. Several bombings in the South have been triggered by mobile phones with such SIM cards.
“Operators must speed up informing their unregistered customers and strictly comply with our order or face heavy fines,” said Mr Takorn.
He said the fine rate of 0.3% of total annual revenue was in line with the NBTC’s regulations.
The regulator will impose 0.1% of total annual revenue if operators violate the order. The fine will increase to 0.3% if it causes damage to public benefits, rising to 0.5% if a company’s competitive moves have a noticeable impact on business competition.
Up to 71 million prepaid numbers, out of a total 85.5 million issued numbers, have been registered with users’ personal information.
Of the total 14.5 million unregistered numbers, 10.9 million are inactive and the remaining 3.6 million are still active, Mr Takorn said.
“We’re focusing on the 3.6 million numbers that are still active,” he said.
A mobile phone without a registered SIM card cannot make a call or access the internet. Mr Takorn said this would prevent criminals using unregistered SIM cards from easily exploiting the numbers for illicit activities.