Sim registration aid for millions using basic phones, sans internet

ABOUT eight million Globe SIM card users who are using featured phones (basic phones) and those who do not have access to the internet will get special assistance during the SIM registration period, which will start on Dec. 27, 2022.

Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s chief sustainability and corporate communications Officer, said SIM registration for the 87.9 million users, post-paid and pre-paid, on the Globe network will be from Dec. 27 to April 27, 2023.

Crisanto said in compliance with the law, Globe will launch its online SIM registration platform, a microsite, and start selling new SIMs in deactivated mode. All new SIMs must be registered immediately to enjoy Globe services, while existing SIMs should be registered within 180 days, or six months, from the effectivity of the law.

Smart Communications Inc., on the other hand, will launch its SIM registration portal to facilitate an easy, convenient, and rewarding SIM registration experience for its subscribers.

In a statement, Smart said it will facilitate, together with relevant government agencies, the registration in remote areas with limited telecommunications or internet access.

The National Telecommunications Commission released Monday the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 11934 or the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act for standard enforcement of the law.

Not digitally savvy

Crisanto said Globe hopes to do all the registration online, but it will also be providing special assistance for customers who are currently not using smartphones and may not be digitally savvy.

“Sometime in January or February, Globe shall put in place some guidance on a special assistance process for these customers, so they can go through the registration as well,” Crisanto added.

Roy Ibay, vice president and head of regulatory affairs of Smart Communications, said Smart will also provide additional means to assist persons with disabilities, senior citizens, pregnant women, and/or persons with special needs in registering their respective SIMs–a provision that was added even though it was not specifically mentioned in the law.

“With connectivity being crucial to powering the Philippine economy’s resurgence, we reaffirm our commitment to ensure that the implementation of the SIM Registration Law will be easy and convenient for subscribers and will not deprive subscribers of their right to connectivity,” said Francis E. Flores, senior vice president and head of Consumer Business Group – Individual at Smart, in the press statement.

Flores added that Smart is ready to roll out the SIM registration processes, which have included, among other things, studying the best global practices and technology solutions from other countries that have already implemented SIM registration.

Smart will release more information about the SIM registration portal via official channels in the next few weeks, Flores said.

All SIM cards

Crisanto pointed out that all SIM cards must be registered, and that the registration of multiple SIM cards is permitted. For those SIMs under the corporate plan, the user shall be the one to register the SIM, and there is a process for that.

All foreigners and transients will also register with the corresponding guidelines.

According to Crisanto, it is critical to remember that a valid government-issued ID is required for SIM registration.

Considered valid IDs are the PhilSys National ID, driver’s license, UMID, SSS/GSIS card, Senior Citizen’s card, passport, police clearance and NBI clearance.

The Globe executive said SIM registration is important to stop various online frauds.

The passage of the SIM Registration Act is a significant step forward in fighting fraudsters who have been taking advantage of SIM use anonymity in their illicit activities, she added.

Crisanto said Globe will release more information about its SIM registration platform and procedure on its official channels in the coming days.

As for Smart, it said: “Our subscribers can submit any of the various IDs enumerated in the law and the IRR. The list of IDs is also not exclusive to accommodate all subscribers who may have difficulty securing IDs.”

Data security

In view of the data that telcos will have in their systems with the SIM registration, Crisanto assured that Globe has invested in data security, data privacy, and network security to ensure no data leaks.

“We are in an industry that the government trusts because our operations — operations at scale — are on a platform that is very robust and can handle millions of transactions per day,” Crisanto explained.

She added that there had been attempts in the past, but Globe was quick to respond and ensure layers of customer protection.

Smart, in a press statement, said Smart and parent company PLDT’s longstanding consumer protection initiatives include measures aimed at curbing mobile phone-aided criminal activities such as text scams.

In addition to blocking SIMs that send “smishing” messages, Smart has also blocked Uniform Resource Locators (URL) linked to these illegal activities. Smishing is a form of phishing using short messaging service or text messages.

In 2021, PLDT and Smart invested nearly ₱3 billion in cybersecurity infrastructure to help safeguard the public against emerging cyberthreats, vulnerabilities, and other online criminal activities. (WITH PR)