[kictanet] Update on the switch off of unregistered SIM cards

[Wambua, Christopher]

Henry,

The applicable law is the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Act,
2012 which effectively outlaws the sale of pre-activated SIM cards. The
supporting subsidiary legislation is awaiting gazettment anytime now.

Best regards
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Henry Maina [mailto:henry at article19.org] 
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2013 4:41 PM
To: Wambua, Christopher
Cc: Consumer and Public Affairs; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: RE: Update on the switch off of unregistered SIM cards

Thanks so much Wambua for the update.

But please help me understand under what laws and regulations has CCK
compelled mobile service providers to switch off those lines and what is
CCK doing to ensure that mobile service providers are under obligation
to protect the personal information /data that they have received from
so many other duly registered mobile phone users?

HENRY O. MAINA
DIRECTOR
ARTICLE 19 KENYA/EASTERN AFRICA
P O BOX 2653,00100
NAIROBI
TEL:+254 (20) 3862230/2
FAX:+254 (20) 3862231
EMAIL: henry at article19.org

________________________________________
From: kictanet
[kictanet-bounces+henry=article19.org at lists.kictanet.or.ke] on behalf of
Wambua, Christopher [Wambua at cck.go.ke]
Sent: 11 January 2013 04:03 PM
To: Henry Maina
Cc: Consumer and Public Affairs; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: [kictanet] Update on the switch off of unregistered SIM cards

Listers,

More than 2.4 million unregistered SIM cards switched off

The four local mobile operators have to date switched off more than 2.4
million unregistered SIM cards.

According to statistics gathered from mobile operators, a total of
2,408,266 unregistered mobile lines had, by January 8, been switched
off, barely a week after the expiry of the December 31 deadline.

Safaricom has disconnected a total of 1.2 million unregistered SIM
cards. Orange and Airtel have disconnected 520,000 and 365,266
unregistered lines, respectively. YuMobile on the other hand has
switched off 323,000 SIM cards.

Subscribers whose lines have been switched off have up to 90 days to
register their SIM cards, failing which their mobile numbers will be
withdrawn permanently and subsequently reassigned to new users.

Below is disaggregated data on the switch off:

Operator

Registered Subscribers

Suspended Subscribers

28th Dec 2012

8th Jan 2013

28th Dec 2012

8th Jan 2013

Airtel

3,877,475

4,347,765

70,830

365,266

Orange

2,106,250

2,160,873

120,010

520,000

Safaricom

17,200,000

17,290,000

800,000

1,200,000

YuMobile

2,353,106

2,440,000

290,000

323,000

Total

25,536,831

26,238,638


1,280,840

2,408,266



Christopher Wambua
Manager/Communications
Consumer and Public Affairs Division
Communications Commission of Kenya
P.O. Box 14448, NAIROBI 00800
KENYA