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Monday 7 January 2013

Rwanda SIM Card Registration to Kick Off in February

Joining other African countries in a nationwide SIM-card registration, Rwanda is set to commence the process from February 4 to July 31, 201.

In line with East African Communication Organisation (EACO), a regional body formed that comprises of communication regulators, ICT providers, telecom operators and postal service providers in East African Community to monitor the sector - to have all SIM-cards in their respective territories registered, the country is targeting over 5 million subscribers when the registration begins.

In a statement by Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA), the move is aimed at curbing the rising cases of kidnappings, mobile fraud, terrorism and drug trafficking. It is reported that MTN Rwanda, Tigo and Airtel, the three telecom operators in the country, will have to register over 28,000 subscribers on a daily basis, considering the registration will last for only 180 days.

According to the Communications Commission of Kenya’s preliminary figures, more than 80 percent of all lines had been registered by December 28, 2012. Safaricom led the pack with 85.2 percent registration or 16.7 million of its 19.6 million customers followed by Airtel, which had a registration rate of 82.55 percent, or 3.88 million subscribers. Yu registered 2.1 million lines or 65 percent while Orange registered 61 percent, or two million customers.

In Uganda, the communications regulator has set March 1, 2013, as the new deadline for mobile users to register their sim cards and July 1 for the switch off of counterfeit phones while Tanzania also plans to rid the country of counterfeit phones.

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority says it is planning to run a campaign in 2013 to educate the public on the need to have genuine phones, before disconnecting users.

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