Telecoms

SIM Card Registration Act Gets a Nod From The House

Ronnie Bulaong May 22, 2015 · 2 min read

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Yesterday, the House of Representative has approved 28 national bills, and one of which is the House Bill 5231, also known as the “Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card Registration Act”, that seeks to require telcos to “establish a foolproof system of identifying users prepaid SIM cards.

Under the HB5231, consumers are required to present a valid ID with picture and personally fill out a registration form with control number provided by the telco before he/she can buy a prepaid SIM card. Once the sale has been made, the consumer will be issued with an official receipt from the servicing telco.

If the transaction is done through a telco representative or an agent, the person are obligated to forward all the necessary documents that the consumer has provided within fifteen (15) days from the date of sale.

Local telecommunications companies are required to submit an updated list of authorized dealers and agents to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) every quarter within thirty (30) days after the bill has been passed.

This will ensure that all consumers who will buy a prepaid SIM card from stores not owned by the servicing telco will still undergo the necessary process mentioned above.

If the telco failed to comply with any of the aforementioned provisions, the company will be penalized by NTC and will be forced to pay a fine.

HB5231 Section5

The House Bill 5231 also encompasses existing prepaid SIM card users. Under the Section 3 of the SIM Card Registration Act, existing pre-paid users are required to register their SIM cards, as well as the serial number of their mobile phone, to the issuing telco within three (3) months from the date of effectivity of this act.

Failure to do so will not result to sanction or penalties on the user’s end. It may, however, result into an immediate account deactivation which will be carried out by the servicing telco.

The House Bill 5231 has passed the third and final reading in the House of Representative and will now be passed to the Senate to be approved. There’s a good chance that this House bill will be passed in to a law as President Aquino already expressed his support for the bill in the past.

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Ronnie Bulaong

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This article was written by Ronnie Bulaong, a special features contributor and correspondent for YugaTech. Follow him on Twitter @turonbulaong.

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96 Comments

denz · 9 years ago

cge unahin nyo yang problema sa sim..kalimutan nyo ang marawi ..wag nyo nlng e big deal ang marawi yang sim card registration problem unahin nyo

nexusboy · 11 years ago

Yugatech please also feature the pending Mobile Telephone Number Portability Act wherein mobile subscribers can RETAIN their number when transferring to a different network provider. The bill has been filed several times in the House of Representatives and in the Senate for several years, to no avail. Now that we are seeing SIM Registration finally to be enforced, the next reasonable step is to have MTN Portability Act signed into a law as well! I am hoping for your support Yugatech.

Thanks

zz · 11 years ago

Um…it’s just the House of Representatives who passed the bill. Since the Senate has NOT yet approved the bill, it’s not yet considered an Act. A bill can only be an Act/a law if it passes in BOTH Senate and Congress, AND gets signed by the President.

Ted Reyes Olaya Bakla · 11 years ago

Hmm..ok sana ito, kaso alam nyo nmn ang mga buwaya sa gobyerno, makakahanap ng paraan para abusuhin ito at pagkunan ng pera. Tignan nyo n lng ung LTO. ALAM NA! Taena ung mga corrupt n yan. Pero kapag wala mapala d nla papansinin, tulad ng bad internet service ng mga telcos.

xedman · 11 years ago

nde problema ng user to… dapat ung mga service provided gumawa nito

too_much_scum · 11 years ago

Why is this being done? Get with the rest of the world you blood sucking leeches.. 3rd world is you.

German BratWürst · 11 years ago

This time Archie I agree with you and at your side to support your opinion and reasoning. Yup, I agree with this house bill and what is indicated therein. My prayer opinion about your Philippine Government always speaks up for fault. In your own language “ningas cogon”. I want to tell the government particularly those hundreds of legislators from baboon of Congress to give priority first to LTO problem which we are facing now. My wheels is almost a year now but still no PLATE NUMBER even stickers not available yet. They must solve this problem first before jumping to another problem. It is known that filipinos are “jack of all trade”.
You have the point Archie because, how can a third party SIM reseller force the Sim card buyer particularly those in the remote area, some didn’t know how to write his/her name but have 3 smartphones, and some others mostly kids even 5 years old already have their own mobile phones. Probably they fake their names and age when filing the form before buying the Sim or SIMs. Now, those guys who are hot with this issues how can they stop this or how can they justify this issue? I’m sure some of them have minor kids already using smartphone. Do they tolerate this buying prepaid SIM for their kids under his/her name? Then tell me they right telling you Archie Tanga and Bobo. To tell them I’m using premium postpaid from Globe and Infinity plan from Smart.

woodzm · 11 years ago

How do existing prepaid subscribers register their sim card? please reply :)

Shiznu · 11 years ago

This is actually functioning well in India for more than 2 years now. It helps promote more credibility for all in a lot of aspects.

Go Lang · 11 years ago

good bye scammers,sana.. pero sabi nila may 3 months lang daw ang mga existing prepaid subscribers para mag register. sana naman gawin nilang 1 year hehe. baka mahaba pa sa pila ng last day ng voters registration ang pila kung 3 months lang. at ang serial ng phone/tab/pocketwifi mo dapat daw register? 3 ang sim cards ko at 4 ang mga sim enabled devices ko, kanino ko sila ireregister? haha.

wtf · 11 years ago

parang mutant registration act….ang daming ginagawang batas, ang pangit naman ng internet access – ito muna ang auyusin…bakit hindi ibaba ang rate ng sms messages from PhP 1.00 to PhP 0.25, kesa mag-unli ka na same network lang….

yas · 11 years ago

Is the time frame even feasible? Do they expect to have 120 million (rough estimate) prepaid numbers to be registered within 3 months? That’s an average of about 1.3 million registrations everyday for 3 months straight.

Kalokohan ang time frame. This would have been a good idea.

skabuts · 11 years ago

parang efiling ng ebir forms lang yan, maipilit lang ng gobyerno tas sa maikling panahon kelangan macomply, mukhang meron talagang nangangailangan ng pondo next year ah, haha.

kimmee · 11 years ago

Well, its about time! Now fix the Internet service issue (one of the worst in the world!) after this law is enacted. We dont have another decade!

rape · 11 years ago

Yung mga nagsasabing abala lang ang gagawin ng bill nato eh halatang sila yung gumagawa ng kalokohan. Tsk tsk.

archie · 11 years ago

Para sa mga bobong tulad mo, ang opinyon ng iba ay pagiging utak talangka. Nasa Pinas ka iho, di ipapasa ng mga politiko ang batas na yan na wala silang makukuhang ganansya sa telcos. Laging may hirit na patago ang mga yan.

Wilson Cortes · 11 years ago

3 months to register the potentially millions of prepaid simple cards, super haba pila nito kung sakali. Do the People who pass this bill think of that?

And are we just one step closer to an Orwellian society?

archie · 11 years ago

This is bad in a business point of view. Dagdag trabaho, dagdag gastos, dagdag overhead expense at dagdag raket lang to sa NTC. Ginagawang digital NSO ng gobyerno ang local telcos. Inutil kasi silang masugpo ang scammers kaya binibgay sa iba ang trabaho ng crime busting. Kailangang malaman ng mga tao ang author at mga nag-approve sa bill na ito para hindi na maiboto ng mga tao. Parang BBL lang ito na pampapogi sa administration pero naniniwala pa rin ako sa Supreme Court na idedeclare na unconstitutional ang mga ganitong stupid moves.

Mr.Swallows · 11 years ago

STFU archie, this is good news! You’re only thinking of the 1st stage of the problem. Long term, this definitely helps against scammers or when you lost your phone.

rape · 11 years ago

Hi Archie,

Pinoy ka nga. Utak talangka! Nagkalat ang mga katulad mong inutil at tanga sir!

Mabuhay ka, Punyeta!

archie · 11 years ago

@Mr. Swallows at Rape

Mga bobong mangmang. Sino ba ang naloloko ng scammers, di ba yung mga utu-uto at madaling maniwala sa text? Gamitin nyo nga utak nyo, bakit ka maniniwala na nanalo ka kung wala ka namang sinasalihang contest? At bakit manghihingi sayo ng load ang ate mo sa pampanga kung alam mo namang wala kang kamag-anak doon? Dagdag gastos, dagdag kagaguhan at lahat ng yon ay ipapasa ng telco sa consumers. Sa tingin ba ninyo papayag ang telcos na sa extra expense na walang extra patong sa pre-paid sims? Hindi utak talangka ang opinyon ko, bobo lang talaga kayo at madaling mauto tulad ng mga nabubudul budol gang. Malamang taga gobyerno kayo kaya butthurt kayo sa sinabi ko mga tungaw.

Pier · 11 years ago

Ang sabihin mo, scammer ka lang. This already is a betterment, pero baluktot pa rin brain cells mo.

archie · 11 years ago

@Pier Isa ka pang bobo. Wala namang maiscam kung nagbabasa at matalino yung nakakatanggap ng scam text. Bulok lang talaga ang technology ng NTC sa pagtrace ng scammers at walang maayos na funding ang police natin para matrack down ang scammers. Gusto kasi nila, telco ang gumawa ng trabaho nila. Magsama kayo nina rape, baka tagagobyerno kayo at gusto nyo lang ng extra income sa lahat ng galaw ng telcos.

blitz kriegsherr · 11 years ago

Rape you archie,lol… how could you be so simple minded… hahaha… kawawa ka naman… USofA has been doing this since the beginning of telephone service… tayo ngayun lng dahil may mga tanga na katulad mo… almost, walang alam kundi palakihan ng itlog, boto mmo kung sinong gusto mo iboto ulol…

MomOfOne · 11 years ago

PARA KANG TANGA. Pag nakarehistro Sim Card mo, mas maige yon dahil mattrace ang mga manloloko. Shunga neto. Saka indi basta basta lang ang nakakabili ng Sim Card. Kaya nagkakalat jejemon at manloloko dahil sa katulad mo e.

Engot ka Archie! · 11 years ago

@archie, ala kang sense. isa kang imbecile, moron, tanga at lahat na ng wala o mahina ang utak. alang sense makipag diskusyon sayo ng matino kasi di matino pag iisip mo. kaya pumapangit tingin sa pinas dahil sa tulad mo. HAIST! shet ka!

rape · 11 years ago

Scammer kasi yang archie na yan kaya ganyan magisip, alam na alam nya takbo ng mga jeje at mga squatter na scammer na walang magawa kundi manloko. gamitin din ang utak minsan sir bago muna magpost sa forum para di napaghahalataang tanga. hirap sa katulad mong “netizen” eh, punyeta

jade13 · 11 years ago

Ano’ng kabutihan ang maidudulot nito sa consumer?

blitz kriegsherr · 11 years ago

Ala eh, maganda ang maiidudulot nyan sa sangkatauhan… di na madaling manloko gamit ang number mo dahil nakarehistro na po ang pangalan nyo dito… at di ka na rinnpwedeng lokohin ng kahit na sinong tao eh… kahit ba gaanong kaignorante ka sa larangan ng teknolohiya.. eh…

mintmocha · 11 years ago

I remember having to register my prepaid number before. I don’t know why the telcos took it out. Kaya yan, walang katapusang mga spammers at scammers, lalo na yung Caritas na yan. BWISIT.
I hope the telcos will also consider providing SIM options for tourists and expats that may need local numbers.

booboo · 11 years ago

Maganda ito pero sana isama sa Bill na ito yung pwede mo iretain yung old number mo kapag magpapareplace ng SIM card. Kasi tamad lang ang telcos sa pag-map ng mobile number and SIM cards kasi.

winter · 11 years ago

Sa globe prepaid pwede. Ilang beses ko ng nagawa yun

Michael · 11 years ago

Tawag po sa ganung uri ng service ay “LNP” or Local Number Portability. Retaining old number and port the number from previous service provider to your new network.

booboo · 11 years ago

Yeah. Smart prepaid hindi pwede. Even yung Freedom Plan pahirapan mag-maintain ng old numbers. So kung ipapasok nila sa bill na ito yung provision na pwede mag-maintain ng mobile number for life edi mas marami papayag sa SIM reg for prepaid users.

jmr_85 · 11 years ago

Why not just have an activation process to register the SIM Cards? Why pass the burden to the resellers? How about those freelance sellers who do not own shops or stores?

#AskPatrick · 11 years ago

Short term, yes–there is some discomfort for the prepaid user. I had to wait around 30 minutes to register my SIM to globe.

Long term, I got to keep my number when I lost my phone. This is important for people who have valuable contacts in their sim. We have to think of this as a long term solution to scams and whatnot.

#AskPatrick · 11 years ago

That. was a misplaced comment.

mmm but on your comment, maybe it’s time to regulate the sale of these. at the expense of potential income for some.

Pier · 11 years ago

Not a fool proof approach. You can fake your identity that way.

jmr_85 · 11 years ago

I’m not against the idea, but this will be bad for resellers like me. Does that mean I lose my business? Why not have the registration done upon activation of the SIM, just like what is done abroad (at least for the international telcos I support at work). Customers can buy SIM cards anywhere, but need to register before it is activated.

I also hope that this will make SIM replacement easier. I hope there is no need to locate the SIM base once this is done. Technically, all our SMART SIM Cards are registered. Once you replace the SIM to another size or have it changed when stolen, it is automatically tagged under your name because SMART requires an ID to replace a prepaid SIM. But when lost, you still need to find a SIM bed even if it is already under your name? I hope that is changed.

blitz kriegsherr · 11 years ago

Activation process can be manipulated by giving false information. That’s the reason why, the good ol’ resellers need to verify. Prepaid numbers were used to scam people, and there is nothing that we can do about it without having a strict implementation of this bill when it become a law. A big yes to this, at least we are moving forward to more secure online and cellular communication.

Ken · 11 years ago

@askpatrick you can get your old number in other telcos. even if it’s lost or stolen you can still get it.

Zander · 11 years ago

this is kinda good, one hand is that the bill tries to stop scammers( in a way ) another is that its a hassle for existing “Prepaid” Subscribers to register

stay positive · 11 years ago

maraming magiging negative ang response dito gaya ng maraming abala at reklamo dahil kailangan pa ng mga papeles, kesyo dapat unahin ng telco ayusin ang serbisyo nila bago iimplement ito. Pero kailangan natin ito prosesong bilang unang hakbang para sa pagbabago at sa ikaaayos ng ating bansa.