SIM registration

This partnership was led yesterday by the Minister for IT, Communication and Energy, Sam Basil.

Basil said the idea is to reach the 1.5 million subscribers yet to be registered.

The Government will use the extensive network of the churches to fast track the registration process, with a due date set for April 30.

PNGCC comprises of seven mainline churches with over 6.3 million members nationwide and growing.

PNGCC also includes 15 associate members.

This provides a very extensive and effective network right down to the LLGs.

NICTA CEO, Charles Punaha, explained that sim users need to take into consideration the 30 day in-active period, when a card can be made in-active if there is no usage by the user.

He also warned that after 90 days the operators can recycle the number back into the system to be reissued to new sim cards.

Meantime, Communications Minister, Sam Basil has warned all operators to not charge users for registration of sim cards.

The Minister says that any operator found to be charging users will be dealt with by NICTA and the ICCC.

The state filed the motion on Tuesday, seeking the dismissal of the entire legal challenge against telecommunication regulator NICTA.

The matter briefly went before Justice Ere Kariko on Wednesday for directions where the state informed the court of the motion. It will be heard next week Monday.  

The state will be asking the court to dismiss the legal challenge on the main ground, the plaintiff, Baundo Francis, has no reasonable cause of action in the proceeding he filed.

Minister for Communications, Information Technology and Energy, Samuel H Basil, said he had endorsed the SIM card registration deadline extension to 23^rd January, 2018, requested by the National Information Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) in consultation with the Office of the Prime Minister.

“The deadline on SIM card registration on 31^st December 2017 was determined two years ago and really should have been driven by relevant authorities and the telecommunications service providers,” said Minister Basil.

Sim registration set-ups by telecommunication companies have seen huge crowds of people, particularly over the festive period.

This will continue today, with three more days to the deadline imposed by NICTA to register all sim cards.

People are urged to bring a form of identification.

A statutory declaration from the court or letter from a pastor is the alternative form of identification for those without an ID card.

Telecommunication companies have been setting up in front of their headquarters as well as their retail outlets.

This was the case with the Digicel SIM registration team, led by Darren Lepilis, the retail executive.

Lepilis and the team have a deadline to meet.

He said as per the directive from the National Information & Communications Technology Authority (NICTA), all SIM cards have to be registered by the end of the year. Failure to do so will result in the SIM card being deactivated.

His team has been out in full force since yesterday, setting up in communities, with the help of volunteers.