Thai Mobile Users' Final Date to Verify SIM Cards

[snoop1130]

 

Today, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has acknowledged it to be the last day for cellphone users with six or more SIM cards to confirm their identity or face the suspension of services like calls, text messages, and internet usage.

 

Trirat Viriyasirikul, the current Secretary-General of NBTC, spoke about the deadline for multi-SIM card users to verify their identities. This step is aimed at preventing the misuse of mobile services for illicit activities.

 

NBTC is asking users with between six and 100 SIM cards to confirm their identities through the procedures given by their cellphone providers. Those who overlook this deadline will find their SIM cards deactivated, barring them from making calls, texting, or using the internet. As of the end of June, out of 3,981,251 SIM cards needing confirmation, 1,635,407 users have already done so.

 

More than 2.3 million SIM cards are yet to be confirmed today to evade service suspension. But, even if the service is deactivated, users may reactivate their services by completing the identity verification process.

 

NBTC's process applies to two groups: those with six to 100 SIM cards and those with more than 100. For customers with over 100 SIM cards, the deadline was on February 14. From 5,078,283 SIM cards, 3,914,057 have been confirmed, and the remaining unverified ones have been deactivated.

 

 

NBTC's initiative is to improve security and prevent unlawful activities via mobile networks. This not only aids law enforcement but also protection from possible misuse of registered SIM cards.

 

Trirat emphasised the importance of complying with this regulation, urging users to promptly complete the verification process to avoid any interruption in services. The NBTC will keep working closely with mobile network providers to make the verification process simpler. It provides multiple ways, including online platforms and physical service centres.

 

This initiative showcases the NBTC's pledge to uphold the integrity and security of Thailand's telecommunications infrastructure. By enforcing strict SIM card registration rules, it aims to maintain a safe and secure environment for all mobile users in the country.

 

Users impacted by this regulation are advised to contact their providers for further help and to complete the verification process as soon as possible. The NBTC will continue to track adherence and take necessary steps to maintain all regulations.

 

This highlights the importance of regulatory steps in protecting telecommunication services from illegal exploitation. Users should be informed about such rules and quickly comply to keep their mobile services uninterrupted.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-07-08

 

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[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

More than 2.3 million SIM cards are yet to be confirmed today to evade service suspension. But, even if the service is deactivated, users may reactivate their services by completing the identity verification process.

Just do it... 

[dinsdale]

Six sim cars or more? That's a lot of mia nois and giks. 

[Mutt Daeng]

21 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Six sim cars or more? That's a lot of mia nois and giks. 

Six sim cards isn't a lot really. I (and many others) buy data sims from Lazada which last for one year, to be used for mobile internet. When it expires, I throw it away and get a new one. So if you've been doing that for 4 or 5 years then you could have more than six cards registered in your name.

[msbkk]

1 hour ago, Mutt Daeng said:

Six sim cards isn't a lot really. I (and many others) buy data sims from Lazada which last for one year, to be used for mobile internet. When it expires, I throw it away and get a new one. So if you've been doing that for 4 or 5 years then you could have more than six cards registered in your name.

Not really. The card expires after you do not top it up anymore  and the number will be sold to another user and registered in another name. As soon as it expires your registration is not valid anymore.

[Lorry]

1 hour ago, msbkk said:

Not really. The card expires after you do not top it up anymore  and the number will be sold to another user and registered in another name. As soon as it expires your registration is not valid anymore.

That's the theory. 

The reality is that providers may extend the validity of your number for a year more or so, they consider this a service for you (and hope you come back). Of course,  you don't know this. 

So you don't know how many SIM cards a provider has in your name.

 

The provider (at least their staff who has contact with customers) doesn't know either  how many SIM cards they have registered in your name. I asked AIS. Their answer was very different from reality. 

What their back office is doing, nobody knows. 

 

[msbkk]

12 minutes ago, Lorry said:

That's the theory. 

The reality is that providers may extend the validity of your number for a year more or so, they consider this a service for you (and hope you come back). Of course,  you don't know this. 

So you don't know how many SIM cards a provider has in your name.

 

The provider (at least their staff who has contact with customers) doesn't know either  how many SIM cards they have registered in your name. I asked AIS. Their answer was very different from reality. 

What their back office is doing, nobody knows. 

 

Well, you mentioned 4-5 years and this is not the real time frame. I had some experience myself that one of my phone numbers was given to another person by AIS because I did not top it up for several months. Let's agree to 1 year maximum, but not longer.

 

I was at AIS recently and was surprised to find out that 3 Sim cards (used in a tablet computer and a pocket wifi) were not registered in my name but in the Sim card sellers name. AIS changed the registration for me. There is a system in place but it might not be perfect.

[Lorry]

2 hours ago, msbkk said:

you mentioned 4-5 years

Where did I mention that???

 

2 hours ago, msbkk said:

were not registered in my name but in the Sim card sellers name

Happens a lot.  More convenient for the buyer,  he can immediately start using it.

AIS doesn't like this practice, 

[motdaeng]

5 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

Six sim cards isn't a lot really. I (and many others) buy data sims from Lazada which last for one year, to be used for mobile internet. When it expires, I throw it away and get a new one. So if you've been doing that for 4 or 5 years then you could have more than six cards registered in your name.

 

does that mean you need to go to all of your banks  every year to update your cellphone number for mobile banking access?

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, motdaeng said:

 

does that mean you need to go to all of your banks  every year to update your cellphone number for mobile banking access?

No of course not, providing you have registered your number with the provider. There's been enough publicity about this topic over the last few months.

[tomazbodner]

6 hours ago, msbkk said:

Not really. The card expires after you do not top it up anymore  and the number will be sold to another user and registered in another name. As soon as it expires your registration is not valid anymore.

Not true. The card doesn't immediately get wiped when it expires. It stays available for top-up for quite some time after that, in my case my Travel SIMs (both AIS and True) remained valid and available for top-up (buying another roaming package) for more than a year... I have "reused" same SIM 1 year and 2 months later by simply inserting it into the phone and adding a package to it. There was no need to re-register anything, it was already in my name.

[msbkk]

2 hours ago, Lorry said:

Where did I mention that???

 

Happens a lot.  More convenient for the buyer,  he can immediately start using it.

AIS doesn't like this practice, 

You wrote "So if you've been doing that for 4 or 5 years then you could have more than six cards registered in your name." My point was that after 4 or 5 years your registration will not be longer in the system if the cards are not used anymore.

[msbkk]

50 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

Not true. The card doesn't immediately get wiped when it expires. It stays available for top-up for quite some time after that, in my case my Travel SIMs (both AIS and True) remained valid and available for top-up (buying another roaming package) for more than a year... I have "reused" same SIM 1 year and 2 months later by simply inserting it into the phone and adding a package to it. There was no need to re-register anything, it was already in my name.

OK, it might depend on the card. Travel Sims might last longer.

[Lorry]

9 hours ago, msbkk said:

You wrote "So if you've been doing that for 4 or 5 years then you could have more than six cards registered in your name." My point was that after 4 or 5 years your registration will not be longer in the system if the cards are not used anymore.

That was another poster. I agree,  4 or 5 years is too long.

 

9 hours ago, msbkk said:

OK, it might depend on the card. Travel Sims might last longer.

Same for regular SIM cards.  A card that you think expired last year (because that was supposedly the "end of validity") may still be registered in your name. 

[Mutt Daeng]

22 hours ago, msbkk said:

Not really. The card expires after you do not top it up anymore  and the number will be sold to another user and registered in another name. As soon as it expires your registration is not valid anymore.

Thanks I didn't know that.

[Mutt Daeng]

18 hours ago, motdaeng said:

 

does that mean you need to go to all of your banks  every year to update your cellphone number for mobile banking access?

No, I have a "permanent" number in the second sim slot which is the one I use for banking etc.

[Ralf001]

23 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

Six sim cards isn't a lot really. I (and many others) buy data sims from Lazada which last for one year, to be used for mobile internet. When it expires, I throw it away and get a new one. So if you've been doing that for 4 or 5 years then you could have more than six cards registered in your name.

 

Registered in yout name...  you provided ID for this ?

 

I would think identification verification has already taken place !

[Mutt Daeng]

7 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Registered in yout name...  you provided ID for this ?

 

I would think identification verification has already taken place !

Yes.