AS the deadline for the mandatory registration of SIM cards draws near, Namibians have been encouraged by banks to avoid the discomfort and inconvenience that may be associated with being disconnected.
Namibians have exactly four days to ensure that their subscriber identity module (SIM) cards are registered in their names.
First National Bank (FNB) warned its clients that should 31 March 2024 come and they are not registered, they should be aware that all online banking users will be affected.
“If any of your staff members have FNB online banking responsibilities, we urge you to ensure that their SIM cards are registered at their respective service providers to ensure that your company’s online banking experience will continue uninterrupted after the cut-off date,” stated the bank.
It added: “Should you miss the 31 March deadline, please do the following as soon as possible: visit your nearest mobile network provider office and register your staff members’ SIM card, some cards are registered but have been inactive for three months they will need to be re-registered.”
Bank Windhoek has been encouraging their customers to register their SIM cards through SMS’, advising that having a number registered is to the convenience of the customer and to continue receiving the bank’s services.
“We would like to encourage all our Bank Windhoek customers to register their SIM cards before the 31 March 2024 deadline to continue using our digital banking services, such as buying MTC airtime and accessing their mobile App, EasyWallets, cellphone banking and SMS transactional notifications for continued convenient banking experience,” said Bank Windhoek’s spokesperson, Jacquiline Pack.
Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus in a ministerial statement in Parliament recently said SIM cards not registered by 31 March 2024 will face a three-month suspension, adding that customers trying to utilise the service within this period will encounter a warning message and will not be able to proceed.
She was adamant that there would be no further postponement of the deadline.
“No extension will be granted after the deadline of 31 March 2024. Failure to register by this deadline will result in suspension of numbers. I urge all Namibians to utilise this grace period to complete their SIM card registration promptly,” stressed Theofelus.
She stated that failure to register by 30 June 2024 will lead to service cancellation by the mobile service provider, requiring customers to acquire and register a new SIM card, resulting in the loss of the previous mobile number of that particular customer.
“After the suspension, service restoration and retention of the mobile number linked to the SIM card are possible upon providing the required registration details,” she said.
Theofelus added that consumers must understand that SIM registration is a key enabler to their participation in the digital economy.
She stated: “The importance of this SIM card registration exercise cannot be overemphasised as it plays a pivotal role in deterring phone-based fraud, identity theft, and other criminal activities in line with international best practices.”
In March 2021, Namibia instituted regulations mandating SIM registration. This policy aims to address security concerns, combat crime, and facilitate the deployment of digital services.
MTC last year said customers using false identity documents have defrauded the company in the past, adding that since the implementation of the Verifi system, the company has reduced fraudulent activities by 80%.
Theofelus added that in an ever-evolving technology-driven world, cell phone numbers have also become a key enabler for consumers to participate in e-commerce activities such as digital banking, financial services, online shopping and to receive notifications for administrative operations.
She noted: “It is a common cause that crimes aided by technological devices have affected many of our people. It is for that reason that the government decided to adopt the SIM card registration process.”
By 29 February 2024, Namibia will have a total of 2 387 230 active SIM cards. Out of these, 1 687 742 SIM cards have been successfully registered, representing a registration rate of 70.6%.
“Since the extension was announced on 29 December 2023, we have noted with grave concern low or relaxed public participation in the SIM card registration process. As a government, we observed how we received calls to extend the registration process in the media, via emails and I received multiple phone calls during the festive season from leaders and ordinary citizens asking for an extension,” recalled Theofelus.
The minister said mobile operators such as Paratus Telecommunications and UCOM Mobile Namibia recorded a 100% registration rate, on their respective networks while MTC and Telecom Namibia Limited recorded 76% and 54% respectively.
MTC’s spokesperson Erasmus Nekundi yesterday said the team has been working around the clock to reach as many Namibians as possible to ease the process of registration and bring the service closer.
“We have mobile teams in the regions apart from our permanent staff who have been registering SIM Cards. Additionally, we saw a low turnout of people and rolled out the online registration platform. We also had options of weekly incentivising a lucky customer who had their SIM card registered,” he outlined.
Nekundi shared that as of 15 March 2024, the SIM registration report stands at 78%, meaning that of the 1 944 990 prepaid customers, 1 516 409 are registered.
Caption (SIM Card registration)