CA orders deactivation of unregistered SIM cards

The Communications Authority (CA) has directed mobile operators to suspend or deactivate all unregistered SIM cards on their networks.

According to the telecom regulator, there has been a huge surge in unregistered SIM cards despite having a law in place requiring all mobile users to be registered.

The Communications Authority has been pushing for compliance with the rule as mobile users may be culpable in the event that their number is used in the commission of a crime.

“The authority has therefore directed mobile operators to suspend with immediate effect all SIM cards whose registration status is not in compliance with the SIM cards regulations,” CA director general Francis Wangusi said in a notice in the dailies.

It was however not immediately clear from the regulator how many SIM cards were unregistered

The directive comes on the back of rising concern over incidents of extortion and kidnappings linked to abuse of mobile phone lines.

SIM card registration is aimed at enhancing security by making it possible to trace details of subscribers engaged in criminal activities.

Subscribers whose lines are suspended will have 90 days to reactivate them after submitting details to mobile operators or have the deactivated.