Unauthorised SIMs issue: preventive measures
By Shahid Ali Butt

The phenomenal growth and competition in telecom sector during last few years can be termed as thriving - it made Pakistan as one of the key investment prospects. More and more investment is coming and would go a long way in the telecom infrastructure development in the country.

Following competition in mobile phone sector, the operators launched massive campaign to woo maximum subscribers. They increased their sales without much focus on verification of subscribers' antecedents and significantly expanded their distribution channels to meet the growing demand.

The SIMs had been sold even on the small shops and kiosks without getting any proper verification of the buyers which resulted in increased concerns of law enforcement and security agencies. One can recall that the problem of unnamed SIMs is not new. It started during the period when price war among operators started.

During this competition era, franchises are not the only place where SIMs are available, one can get easily any prepaid SIMs from a corner shop or a mobile footpath shop for just Rs100 or less.

How PTA can guarantee the documentation on those selling spots. These small shopkeepers bring SIMs which never get registered in the buyer's name from franchises as well as from the wholesale market. Though Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), a regulator of telecom sector has blocked around 1.36 million unverified connections to date and adopted a series of procedures in consultation with the operators and law enforcement agencies to address the situation, but desired results were not achieved. Unregistered SIMs are still active throughout the country.

PTA has already taken stern action on the issue and asked all the mobile phone companies to verify all the connections issued by them. The government also issued a policy directive on Mobile Subscribers Documentation and Antecedents Verification early this year in light of which PTA issued a revised SOP to be adopted by all cellular companies so as to make the process simpler and more effective.

"It has been witnessed that at some places proper procedure was not being adopted with regard to acquiring the particulars of the customer intending to have a mobile connection and PTA received a number of complaints in this regard," said Chairman PTA, Maj Gen (Retd.) Shahzada Alam Malik.

He said policy is being implemented and strict action taken against those franchises found in violation. Any franchise found to be selling SIMs without a copy of CNIC duly incorporating the SIM number being issued, would be immediately sealed and strict action, including cancellation of Franchise, would be taken, Mr. Malik added.

PTA had also conducted confidential surveys through its Zonal Offices in order to verify sale of connections on authentic documents. The survey results revealed considerable improvement in new connections sales but through the franchisees in major cities and few small cities.

The shortcomings observed on part of the mobile phone operators in first survey were communicated to the CEOs of mobile companies for their redressal.  They were also informed about the possible legal actions against those who violate the procedures.

Similarly, the second survey revealed marked improvement in understanding of the procedure by the franchisees and their retailers and compliance with the directives of the Authority.

PTA, further realising gravity of the situation, also started crackdown on unverified sale of mobile connection and cancelled a number of franchises belonged to all operators found involved in selling SIMs without proper documentation.

In so far as the old data is concerned, the companies have been instructed to clean the complete records through NADRA. For the purpose, the operators are sending heavy logs to NADRA on weekly basis and are taking action against the unverified subscriber numbers.

But cancelling franchises will not make a big difference as there has to be collective and serious measures by the operators at the same time who claimed following PTA's strict directions, verification process of 85 per cent data of their subscribers through NADRA has already been completed. Mobile operators have also suspended operation of 40 franchisees and imposed penalties on them worth Rs9.88 million. A semi-automated system has been adopted by them for swift verification of new subscribers' antecedents.

These continued efforts on part of PTA and cellular mobile operators have brought about considerable improvement in the issuance of new SIMs and verification of their data. Proper procedures are being followed and documentation is being done. It is hoped that with this ongoing approach situation would further improve in days to come.

Besides, addressing the unauthorised SIMS issue, PTA's efforts to promote the sector are worthwhile and the sector was riding on high growth with mobile phone population now touched 85 million mark. This means that there are, on an average, 52 cellular users for every 100 people in the country and testifies to the country's improving economic conditions and expanding infrastructure growth.

With increasing levels of mobile penetration, coupled with increasing levels of demand for technologies Pakistan is fast evolving as one of the telecom sector's key investment prospects. More and more investment would go a long way in the telecom infrastructure development.