Telecel subscribers told to register sim cards or risk disconnection in 3 days

Telecel Zimbabwe has today just issued a press release that say they have urged all subscribers whose SIM cards are not registered to do so within the next 3 days or risk being disconnected. Telecel are the only operator so far to react directly to a regulatory directive earlier this last month for all operators to disconnect unregistered SIMs.

The release though doesn’t say why we have such a problem when all this time operators were supposed to only enable SIM cards after the subscriber had registered. By now, the assumption was that after the registration campaign and disconnection deadline in early 2011, every active sim card would be pointing to an existing person. Not so clearly. And we don’t imagine it’s just a Telecel problem; the very fact the POTRAZ had to issue a directive points to a tip-of-the-iceburg situation here.

Here’s the full Telecel release:

Telecel has urged all subscribers with unregistered SIM cards to have them registered by Friday this week to avoid being disconnected.

“Any subscriber with an unregistered SIM card risks disconnection if he or she has not registered the line before August 31,” Telecel Zimbabwe communications and branding director Obert Mandimika said.

He said this was in line with the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) requirements that all mobile phone users register with their network for each SIM card they have before August 31. Failure to do so would, he said, result in their number being disconnected.

“Most of our customers are already fully registered but those who are not need to register before Saturday August 31 to ensure they are not inconvenienced by being disconnected.

“While Telecel does not wish to inconvenience any subscribers, it will have to disconnect those who remain unregistered after August 31 in order to comply with Potraz requirements,” Mr Mandimika said, adding that registration of SIM cards was an important exercise which was being carried out by all networks.

Registration was intended, he said, to protect the general public from criminals using unregistered SIM cards.

“It is important therefore that any unregistered subscribers ensure they are registered, as they will lose the value they gain from the Telecel network should they be disconnected,” he said.

Telecel subscribers whose SIM cards are unregistered can have them registered at any Telecel office countrywide or with Telecel registered dealers.

To register they will be required to produce an original and a copy of their national identity card and fill in a registration form.

Once all the registration details entered on the registration form are confirmed the subscriber will be registered almost instantly.

“We are putting in place measures to ensure that those subscribers who are unregistered are able to do so easily,” Mr Mandimika said.

He said the award winning Telecel customer care service and its agents were on standby to ensure the efficient registration of SIM cards before the deadline. Telecel’s increased retail footprint would help ensure registration was quick and simple.

Customers who might want to check their registration status could do so by calling the Telecel call centre on 150 from their Telecel number or  0733 150 150 from a landline or other network

“Telecel apologises for any inconvenience this necessary exercise might cause but we recognise the importance of ensuring all SIM cards are registered to ensure that unregistered SIM cards are not abused or used in committing crimes,” Mr Mandimika said.

“In the long run, the registration exercise is for the safety and security of everyone.”