Philippines operator Dito Telecommunity urged its mobile subscribers to register their SIM cards, offering those who successfully register their SIM cards a free 2GB data bonus.
Under current regulations, all new and existing mobile phone users are required to register their SIM cards. Failure to register will result in the deactivation of the SIM, along with the possibility of other government-imposed penalties. A deactivated SIM will have a 5-day grace period during which, if the user registers, it can be reactivated.
Tarifica’s Take
Similar to the other countries requiring SIM card registration, the process in the Philippines involves linking the user’s personal identifying data and their government-issued photo ID with the SIM card assigned to their mobile number.
Since the requirement has been in effect (December 2022), just over 21 million SIM cards have been registered in the Philippines, which is about 12.5% of the country’s almost 169 million mobile subscribers.
With the current deadline for SIM registration set for 28 April 2023, Dito is perhaps aware that any of their subscribers who fail to register their SIM cards by the deadline ultimately represent lost customers who they will then need to reacquire, the cost of which would be greater than the cost of offering 2GB of extra data. In light of this, the operator may be hoping to encourage existing customers to comply with the law by offering a carrot in addition to the stick of government penalties looming for those failing to register in time.
SIM card registration has become commonly used by developing nations as a method of protecting customers from SIM-related criminal activities, such as scams, fraud, and identity theft. Whether such measures would become standard in more developed countries remains to be seen. As officials in EU member nations and the United States independently work towards establishing and rolling out their own standards for digital identities, linking this identity to an individual’s SIM card certainly becomes more convenient. However, given the regulations surrounding personal data and privacy in these and other more developed countries, any requirements to connect one’s digital ID to their SIM would likely face significant obstacles.