Myanmar restricts SIM card registration

Myanmar restricts SIM card registration
A man using mobile internet (Photo-Kyi Naing)
A man using mobile internet (Photo-Kyi Naing)
Published 27 March 2019
Wai Tun Naung

The authorities are planning to introduce a plan, in which a person can only buy two SIM cards from each operator starting from April 1, announced Directorate of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

“We instructed all operators to make SIM registration before. We didn’t restrict the number of SIM cards for each national registration card (NRC) at that time. So some people registered many SIM cards using a NRC and sold them by the roadside. Now they can only register two SIM cards from each operator using a NRC or a card, which is recognized officially, starting from April 1,” said Myo Swe, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Telecommunications.

The department enforced the registration of SIM cards in August, 2016 to secure mobile financial services, to protect effectively on public safety and to replace the SIM cards after damaged or lost them.

The announcement said vendors are selling many SIM cards registered under a NRC and users are buying SIM cards registered with other person in the market. It can make many difficulties to protect public safety.

The department will later deal with the owners of SIM cards, which are registered with the NRC of another person, and urged the owners to contact the operators to register under their owned names.

“A student can register with student identity card. For instance, if parent wants their ten-year old student to use SIM card, they can make registration with their NRC. Each person can buy eight cards as each is allowed to buy two SIM cards from each operator. The reason is to take responsibility and to have accountability,” said Myo Swe.

The department announced new SIM cards, which are registered for more than two for each operator under a NRC starting from April 1, will be terminated.