SIM Registration and the answers we need to know

Just last December 27, The implementation to register the SIM has been started and the Filipinos has so many questions for its relevance and the process.

Under the measure, users of all mobile devices, including prepaid broadband devices, must register their SIMs. The law is there to protect consumers from illegal activities such as scams, smishing, and other kinds of mobile phone and online fraud.

The SIM Card Registration Law: All You Need to Know

Republic Act No. 11934, or the SIM Card Registration Act, was signed into law by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on October 10, 2022.

According to Globe Telecom—In a nutshell, the SIM Card Registration Act aims to provide accountability for those using SIM cards and aid law enforcement in tracking perpetrators of crimes committed through phones. This law is seen as one way to boost government initiatives against scams perpetrated through text and online messages, which have become more prevalent in recent years.

“Following the law’s passing, users must register their new SIM cards with the relevant Public Telecommunications Entity (PTE) to activate them. Meanwhile, all existing SIM subscribers must register with PTEs within 180 days of the law’s implementation.”

Failure to register the SIM within the prescribed period will result in automatic deactivation, and telecommunication companies can only reactivate this after proper registration has been completed. Users must also present valid government-issued IDs or similar documents with a photograph to verify their identity.

Minors are also eligible to register a SIM card for use, but only in the name of a parent or guardian consenting to the registration.

The law details penalties for violations ranging from ₱100,000 to ₱1 million. Here are some of the offenses under the SIM Card Registration Act:

* Failure to register a SIM card

* Violation of confidentiality

* Registering a SIM card under false identities or with forged identification documents

* Impersonating a registered SIM card owner

* Reselling a stolen SIM card

* Selling or transferring a registered SIM card without first registering it

It should be noted that this law removed the inclusion of social media as part of SIM card registration because of concerns about data privacy.

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