NBTC: Pre-paid mobile registration must be made within 31 July

[webfact]

NBTC: Pre-paid mobile registration must be made within 31 July

BANGKOK, 21 July 2015 (NNT) – The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has stressed that the registration of pre-paid mobile numbers must commence before the deadline on 31 July 2015, users are urged to check their status by dial *151#.

The NBTC Secretary-General Takorn Tantasith has revealed that all pre-paid mobile number users are required to register their numbers within 31 July 2015. Users can check whether their number has been registered or not, by dialling *151# on their mobile phone to receive the response text message indicating the status.

The registration of pre-paid numbers can be made at all registration points with the NBTC logo, via ‘2 takes’ application, at 7-11 stores, at carrier service centres, and at local administrative organization offices that provide civil registration services.

The NBTC Secretary-General has said that the registration is free of charge, and will be carried out with information security protection. The registration will provide an upgraded secure mobile service as the number cannot be used in criminal activities, and provide users with the right to maintain their numbers. This number registration will not convert the service into the monthly post-paid packages.

He has also mentioned the result of mobile services fees in ASEAN, that Thailand’s call rate is the third cheapest only behind Brunei and Singapore, while the mobile internet fees in Thailand is ranked at the forth among ASEAN countries.

-- NNT 2015-07-21

[KIWIBATCH]

I visited six 7/11 shops i my area (Pin Klao)....I can speak medium level Thai.....none of the six shops (workers) had any idea what this "registration" of Sim cards was about.....

[FangFerang]

I couldn't get mine registered at 7/11 either.

Worse, the phone shops in Ubon are charging 200 baht per phone to register them.

It is supposed to be free? According to who??

[siam2007]

I couldn't get mine registered at 7/11 either.

Worse, the phone shops in Ubon are charging 200 baht per phone to register them.

It is supposed to be free? According to who??

nice little extra revenue me thinks LOL.....

I do have a postpaid no. with DTAC but another prepaid no. with AIS I didn't register yet and will only do so if they really block it - then many people will still argue that they weren't able to get the SIM registered, particularly after what has been reported about the experiences at 7eleven

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I couldn't get mine registered at 7/11 either.

Worse, the phone shops in Ubon are charging 200 baht per phone to register them.

It is supposed to be free? According to who??

nice little extra revenue me thinks LOL.....

I do have a postpaid no. with DTAC but another prepaid no. with AIS I didn't register yet and will only do so if they really block it - then many people will still argue that they weren't able to get the SIM registered, particularly after what has been reported about the experiences at 7eleven

DTAC even offer to do it via VideoChat, so little excuse there. Don't know about True or AIS.

The point of this new registration is that they now want a picture of your ID, not just the number.

Edited July 25, 2015 by Jiu-Jitsu

[KhunBENQ]

I visited six 7/11 shops i my area (Pin Klao)....I can speak medium level Thai.....none of the six shops (workers) had any idea what this "registration" of Sim cards was about.....

Just an example that you better visti an expert shop preferably a customer center of your provider.

The 7/11 clerks definitely know about the SIM registration.

Its so easy for Thais with their ID card (no picture taking of card/passport involved).

Guess they just didn't know how to handle for foreigners or simply too lazy.

They would have to use a smartphone app and take a picture of the passport photo page.

Interesting that there is another short time reminder by NBTC.

Just today I bet for a beer that this time the announced outgoing call blocking will take place.

Hope I win!

[bamnutsak]

Just today I bet for a beer that this time the announced outgoing call blocking will take place.

Hope I win!

The deadline will occur during a four-day holiday weekend, let us hope no one perishes (elderly, infirmed, children, lost, in an accident) trying to ring out to get help.

I can see the deadline being extended for another month, once they realize the millions of people impacted, likely those at the bottom of the economic ladder who've been unable to, or unaware of the requirement to register their SIM.

[KhunBENQ]

let us hope no one perishes (elderly, infirmed, children, lost, in an accident) trying to ring out to get help.

I can see the deadline being extended for another month, once they realize the millions of people impacted, likely those at the bottom of the economic ladder who've been unable to, or unaware of the requirement to register their SIM.

Emergency phone numbers can be reached anytime, even now without credit on the SIM.

(clearly stated by the NBTC)

In my opinion extending the deadline is not a good idea.

The lazy ones will just wait another month in a "wait and see" attitude.

Even more it will strenghten the believe that "they" again do not force anything/anything and the whole thing will collapse.

"deadline 2":

The real question will be: how long will the period be for late registering and unblocking before the SIMs are finally terminated and the numbers freed (I think this will be an important side effect of the action).

Edited July 26, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[bamnutsak]

Emergency phone numbers can be reached anytime, even now without credit on the SIM.

So, you're saying that you know for a fact that outgoing calls to some/many/any/all "emergency" numbers, from unregistered SIMs, will be allowed as of 1 August?

Well this is good news. But how many people actually call emergency phone numbers? I think they probably call family/relations first? I'm not so worried about "the lazy ones", but am concerned about the potential public safety issues associated with terminating outgoing service for those who are disadvantaged, and might have an emergency.

"deadline 2":

The real question will be: how long will the period be for late registering and unblocking before the SIMs are finally terminated and the numbers freed (I think this will be an important side effect of the action).

Twelve months, according to some NBTC members who've been quoted in the press. After 12 months, numbers can be recycled/resold. Any SIM/number can be registered/revived during this 12 month period.

[Tywais]

Emergency phone numbers can be reached anytime, even now without credit on the SIM.

So, you're saying that you know for a fact that outgoing calls to some/many/any/all "emergency" numbers, from unregistered SIMs, will be allowed as of 1 August?

Yes, it's the SOS service which works even without a SIM card installed.

[KhunBENQ]

Emergency phone numbers can be reached anytime, even now without credit on the SIM.

So, you're saying that you know for a fact that outgoing calls to some/many/any/all "emergency" numbers, from unregistered SIMs, will be allowed as of 1 August?

Its not me, but NBTC.

All in Thai but even Google translator delivers you a plausible result.

Homepage:

http://sim.nbtc.go.th/

Q&A:

http://sim.nbtc.go.th/qa.php

Point 6, third paragraph translated by Google:

You can call emergency numbers, such as emergency notification, fire and ambulance, etc. Office of the NBTC.

Edited July 26, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[bamnutsak]

Its not me, but NBTC.

Yes, it is good to see that emergency numbers will not be blocked.

Let's hope that everyone has internet access, and has been able to review this web site.

And that considerations have been made for the elderly (paragraph 11).

It seems like everything is accounted for, and nothing could possibly go wrong.

[KhunBENQ]

Just bumping.

This is what you see on the eService page of AIS:

[Anthony5]

Just today I bet for a beer that this time the announced outgoing call blocking will take place.

Hope I win!

The deadline will occur during a four-day holiday weekend, let us hope no one perishes (elderly, infirmed, children, lost, in an accident) trying to ring out to get help.

I can see the deadline being extended for another month, once they realize the millions of people impacted, likely those at the bottom of the economic ladder who've been unable to, or unaware of the requirement to register their SIM.

Nobody is unaware of the requirement to register, since all providers sent frequently SMS messages to your phone to remind you.

People who haven't registered by now deserve to be cut off and lose the balance on their SIM, but as we know Thainess nothing will happen and the deadline will be extended untill the point that it will be swept under the rug together with all other law enforcements in the hub of lawlessness.

[KhaoNiaw]

You can do DTAC and True registrations at 7-11 but not AIS.

[bamnutsak]

Nobody is unaware of the requirement to register, since all providers sent frequently SMS messages to your phone to remind you.

Well some people are vision impaired, and some may even be unable to read.

But I do understand your stridency on this topic. Maybe I am worrying too much about folks who might be negatively impacted?

You can do DTAC and True registrations at 7-11 but not AIS.

I am surprised you can register DTAC (at 7/11) as 7/11 is owned by CPall, which is part of CP Group, which of course owns TrueMove.

Edited July 28, 2015 by bamnutsak

[KhunBENQ]

You can do DTAC and True registrations at 7-11 but not AIS.

Nonsense at least for Thai citizens (as my wife).

As I did mine at AIS I can not proof that the statement is nonsense for foreigners too.

And see the sign in post #13.

Edited July 28, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[KhaoNiaw]

You can do DTAC and True registrations at 7-11 but not AIS.

Nonsense at least for Thai citizens (as my wife).

As I did mine at AIS I can not proof that the statement is nonsense for foreigners too.

And see the sign in post #13.

Did mine at AIS too because when I went to 7-11 at the same time as the gf they would do True for her but not AIS for me. They said they would do DTAC too but didn't try so it could be nonsense - at ;least it's firsthand nonsense.

[KhunBENQ]

Guess they simply were too lazy/incompetent. Different method for AIS? No idea.

For Thais it is very easy: stick the ID card to the reader, do some number magic on the mobile and the card reader.

Done in a minute.

For foreigners AIS uses a smartphone app and takes a photo of the passport page and a photo of the mobile with some magic number.

At least that is what I understood from watching at AIS.

Maybe they type the number from the mobile to their app, not sure.

The app then sends the data to the provider or NBTC (?).

Edited July 29, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[bamnutsak]

"In my opinion extending the deadline is not a good idea."

Evidently they forgot to check with you?

NBTC to extend registration of prepaid SIM cards till August 31

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) now allows users of cellular prepaid SIM cards another 30 days to register after the deadline for registration expired yesterday July 31.

NBTC secretary general Thakorn Tanthasith said however that the extension of registration until August 31 would mean only those who failed to register their cards by the July 31 deadline could answer calls but could not make calls during the extended period.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/nbtc-to-extend-registration-of-prepaid-sim-cards-till-august-31

[KhunBENQ]

only those who failed to register their cards by the July 31 deadline could answer calls but could not make calls during the extended period

Extending the deadline would have meant for me: nothing happens.

Its currently under discussion, but it seems that the blocking of outgoing calls took place.

A clear signal that this time they take it serious.

I don't think that those who can not make calls anymore feel like "deadline extended".

Edited August 1, 2015 by KhunBENQ