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Safaricom Cuts Off 2.5 Million Unregistered SIM Cards
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Kenya's Safaricom says that it has now disconnected 2.5 SIM cards from its network since the government ordered the mobile networks to only permit the use of registered SIM cards.
At the end of last year, Safaricom had just over 17 million customers.
The mobile network had already cut off 1.2 million SIM cards when the new legislation came into effect at the start of the year, but says that it has had to disconnect a further 1.3 million SIM cards in the final phase of the SIM registration exercise.
The company's Corporate Affairs Director, Nzioka Waita said, "We have made SIM card registration a priority for the business because of the positive impact it is expected to have in assisting law enforcement agencies in the task of curbing social vices like fraud, terrorism and election related hate messages. We are conscious of the fact that the failure to comply with the law could make Kenyans more vulnerable to fraud and criminal activities from those who continue to use unregistered SIM cards, it is therefore imperative that the industry gives this initiative its collective support."
Once suspended, affected customers have a 90 day window within which they must register their identity information. During the suspension period they will not be able to make phone calls, send text messages, transact on M-PESA or access data services using the suspended line.
Failure to register within the 90 day period will lead to total disconnection.
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