Egypt

New mechanism to face unidentified mobile phone lines

The communications minister agreed with the three mobile phone operators on a new mechanism to deal with unidentified mobile phone lines.

It was agreed that the lines should be sold at agents that have an electronic scanning system directly connected to the operator, who would activate the line only after checking the data.
 
The minister said customers buying new lines must show their ID cards and another document, such as gas or electricity receipts proving their identities. They must also sign a contract before receiving the sim card and charge the line with LE10 to activate it, with a maximum of 10 lines for each ID card.
 
Customers would also have to update their data every month.
 
The ministry had in February of last year requested the operators to deactivate some three million unidentified lines, of which two million were reactivated when their subscribers submitted their personal data.
 
This system would be effective as of June in order to prevent misuse of lines for criminal purposes.
 
 
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 

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