Telcos welcome SIM registration extension

Major Philippine telecommunications firms welcomed the decision of the government to extend the SIM Registration period by 90 days.

Secretary Ivan John Uy of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) announced Tuesday the extension

PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) reiterated in a statement its commitment to intensify its call for SIM registration through a multi-platform strategy to reach more subscribers.

“We welcome the 90-day extension of the SIM Registration deadline as discussed by DICT Secretary Uy today. It gives our subscribers more time to comply with the law and register their SIM, and gives telcos like ourselves and the government itself more time to reach more subscribers and campaign for SIM Registration,” according to Cathy Yang, First Vice President and Head of Group Corporate Communications at PLDT and Smart.

“With regards to the gradual deactivation being evaluated by the DICT, the discussions among the DICT, the NTC, and the mobile network operators are still ongoing. Our initial assessment is that it would be difficult for us to implement due to time constraints,” Yang added.

Since December 27 last year, Smart said it has been expending all-out efforts through communication across various channels, including TV, radio, print, billboards, text messages, digital, on-ground activities, exclusive data and SMS offers, pre-recorded messages via interactive voice response (IVR), and flash messages.

These alerts are sent to Smart and TNT customers in several areas all over the Philippines to urge them to act before the deadline and avoid SIM deactivation.

“This is just one of a broad range of initiatives we have undertaken to help all Smart and TNT customers comply with the SIM Registration Act,” Yang added.

Smart has been deploying thousands of assisted SIM Registration booths across the country, working closely with the DICT, the NTC, other mobile operators, and other stakeholders, to help drive registration among Filipino mobile users.

New and existing Smart Prepaid and TNT subscribers may still visit PLDT and Smart stores, or access Smart’s SIM registration portal through https://simreg.smart.com.ph/; while for Postpaid, subscribers are already considered registered based on the latest advice from DICT. Existing Smart Postpaid subscribers may call *888 or *800 for Infinity if they wish to exclude their number from the SIM Registration database.

DON’T PROCRASTINATE

Globe also applauded the government led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for extending the SIM registration deadline, giving millions of unregistered customers more time to comply with the law.

SIM users now have 90 more days to register after the original April 26 deadline was extended. Globe again called on its subscribers to quickly take advantage of the extended time and not wait for the last minute to register to avoid deactivation of their SIMs.

“The government has given SIM users a full three months more to register their SIMs. We would like to appeal to our customers to register their SIMs as soon as they can. If you are having a hard time registering your SIMs, you can go to our Globe Stores and EasyHubs and we will provide the necessary assistance,” said Darius Delgado, Head of Globe’s Consumer Mobile Business.

Globe said it has been vigorously pushing for SIM registration registrations have been slow, peaking to millions of daily registrations just over the past three days after Globe sent emergency alerts before the extension was announced.

As of April 24, 39.89 million Globe customers have registered their SIMs out of the total 86.7 subscriber base.

Globe’s 147 stores and 25 EasyHubs across the country are open for customers who need help registering their SIMs. Globe has also been regularly joining SIM Registration Assistance initiatives led by the National Telecommunications Commission since January, and works with local government units, groceries, and malls to set up assisted registration booths in various sites, including remote locations.

Globe Prepaid, TM and Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi users may register their SIMs through the https://new.globe.com.ph/simreg website. Globe Postpaid and Platinum customer details are already added to the Globe SIM registration database in accordance with the law.  For company-owned Globe Business accounts, steps to register or update details have been sent to your company’s authorized representative.

All SIM users are required to register their SIMs, according to Republic Act No. 11934 or the Subscriber Identity Module Registration Act.