Mobile operators directed to deactivate unregistered SIM cards

Mobile operators have been directed to deactivate unregistered SIM cards in the next 60 days in a move to enforce compliance with the registration exercise which closed Saturday.

In a press statement issued on Monday, the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) granted telecoms a further two months window to ensure 100 per cent compliance with the registration exercise.

“Taking into account the improved level of performance so far, operators are directed to take additional steps to ensure 100 per cent compliance in the next 60 days. The 60 days is not an extension, but a period for the mobile operators to take certain actions including denial of service to prompt further compliance,” noted CA Director General Ezra Chiloba.

“These steps include graduated denial of service to SIM card holders’ not duly registered and eventual deactivation. The services to be affected by this action include voice, SMS, data and mobile banking services.”

At the end of the 60-day period, the ICT sector regulator is expected to conduct a compliance audit to ascertain the level of compliance.

Operators found to be non-compliant shall be liable to regulatory measures including penalties capped at no more than 0.5 per cent of their annual gross turnover.

The CA has revealed compliance levels for two of the leading operators’ including Safaricom and Airtel whose compliance levels stand at 93 and 81.2 per cent respectively.