ANXIETY, worry and fear have gripped the nation as millions of mobile phone subscribers are likely to miss out on telecommunication and financial transactions services when unregistered SIM cards are switched off today.
The Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) yesterday insisted that all subscriber identification module (SIM) cards which have not been registered biometrically will be deactivated today.
Available figures indicate that 27.287 million SIM have been registered so far, representing 56 per cent of 48.717 million subscribers, according to the TCRA’s Acting Public Relations Manager, Mr Semu Mwakyanjala.
As of January 15, this year, 21.430 million SIM cards, representing 44 per cent of all subscribers had not been registered biometrically, according to figures availed by the communications industry regulator.
“It should however be noted that subscribers who will not be able to beat the deadline tomorrow (today) can still continue to register their SIM cards biometrically,” said Mwakyanjala.
“Nevertheless, all subscribers who will not register their SIM cards will be blocked pending biometric registration,” he added. The communication watchdog introduced biometric registration of SIM cards in May, last year –a move aimed at improving security and curbing cybercrimes through mobile phones.
Subscribers are required to either possess a national ID cards issued by the National Identification Authority (NIDA) or a registration number from the authority.
Advantages of biometric registration include protection of mobile phone subscribers against cyber fraudsters and enhancing cyber security, among others. TCRA has set registration guidelines for different groups namely Tanzanians who are above 18 years old and those below 18 years, diplomats accredited to Tanzania in addition to public and private institutions.
The groups also include registered refugees, foreigners with residence permits of less than six months and those with permits of more than six months.
Speaking recently, the Director General of NIDA, Dr Arnold Kihaule, said some 21.5 million people have been issued with the national ID cards while 16 million numbers have been given out to people to enable them to register their SIM cards.
Dr Kihaule was however concerned that only 8.3 million people out of the 16 million people who were issued with numbers have not registered their SIM cards biometrically so far. Initially, the deadline for biometric registration was set for December 31, last year, but President John Magufuli, last month directed the industry regulator to extend the deadline to today to enable more people to register their SIM cards biometrically.
According to Mr Mwakyanjala, Tanzania is among the leading countries in Africa when it comes to inclusive economy through mobile money transfers and thus the need to protect the people against cyber fraudsters.
“Available figures indicate that about 12.5 trillion is transacted through mobile phones every month. As such the biometric registration is aimed at protecting mobile phone users against swindlers,” Mr Mwakyanjala told the ‘Daily News’ in a telephone interview.
A public notice issued by the Director General of TCRA on Thursday last week explained that subscribers whose SIM cards will be blocked today can still proceed to biometrically register and recover their SIM cards or obtain new ones.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam last week, the Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Engineer Isack Kamwelwe warned that there would be no extension on the deadline, stressing further that tough measures await cyber fraudsters.
“As the deadline for the registration looms, there has been a mushrooming incidence of cybercrime on these remaining days; let’s all be on watch,” Eng Kamwelwe warned.
Biometric registration of mobile phones has been touted as the best way of identifying mobile phone subscribers and restrain cybercrimes through mobile phones.
