The SIM re-registration process came to an end last week but as we have learnt, not everyone was able to participate in the process. Those who have not completed the process can still do so by contacting their network provider for assistance on that.
Safaricom did send out a message to those who were yet to confirm their registration details last week with the message reading, “Dear customer, your line has been suspended pending a registration update. Visit the nearest M-Pesa or Safaricom shop to update your ID.”
If you are yet to confirm your details, you still have time according to the Communication Authority. “Each operator is under obligation to ensure 100 percent compliance. The Telkom Kenya case is under review and details shall be provided upon conclusion of the review,” the agency said.
Keep in mind that the Communication Authority is not extending the deadline but this move is to allow telcos to implement certain actions including denial of service to ensure compliance. Some of the services that may be affected during this 60 day period include voice, SMS, data, and mobile banking services.
Compliance So far
According to data shared so far, Safaricom is leading in terms of compliance having confirmed 93% of its customer’s details. Airtel Kenya is at 81.2% and TelkomKenya is yet to share the data. Last week reports suggested that Telkom may lose over 50% of its subscribers through this process. This is not good news for the telco which has been struggling to compete with Safaricom.
Why the re-registration process?
According to the Communication Authority, this process is necessary as it allows the government to siphon out criminals and fraudsters who use illegal phone connections to commit crime. The agency confirmed that those who will not have their details updated by the deadline (October 15) will still be able to reactivate their SIM cards later.
“Operators are not going to stop the exercise because of the October 15, deadline. We expect them to continue with the process,” said CA’s Telecoms Licensing and Compliance Assistant Director Liston Kirui.