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Beginning on Monday, September 5, 2022, Ghanaian mobile network subscribers who have not yet completed stage one of the re-registration process for their SIM cards will face punitive measures, such as the suspension of all outgoing calls and data services for 48 hours (2 days) each week.
As a second punitive action, this will be carried out weekly in a consecutive set of numbers.
All outgoing calls are rerouted as part of the first punitive measure, and a message is played daily before every call is placed.
In a letter dated September 2, 2022, signed by the Director-General, the NCA reminded the MNOs of the registration exercise which is ending on September 30, 2022.
“Please be informed that the punitive measures which were discussed at the meeting at the NCA on 3rd August, 2022, were compiled and reviewed following your submission. After a comprehensive review and with the approval of the Honourable Minister for Communications, Please find below the punitive measures,” the letter stated.
The punitive actions starting this week affect only AirtelTigo, Glo, MTN and Vodafone.
“MNOs [Mobile Network Operators] shall divide the unregistered SIMs into five batches for the purpose of implementing this punitive measure.
“These measures shall exclude blocking of SMS to give defaulting subscribers the opportunity to initiate registration if they so wish. Subscribers who fully register their SIM Cards within the period they have been blocked will only be unblocked by the MNOs after the 48 hours to avoid the MNOs tampering with their systems intermittently,” parts of the letter read.
Vodafone for instance has already sent out messages to customers informing them about the plan to bar unregistered SIM cards from some services beginning September 5.
After September 2022
The letter added that after September 30, 2022, all unregistered SIM cards will be blocked and this is where it will affect all BWAs including Telesol, Surfline and Busy.
“MNOs shall put disconnected SIM Cards in a holding category and current subscribers of these SIM Cards shall be given six (6) months to register their SIM cards, failing which these numbers will be churned by the MNOs,” it added.
The NCA further asked MNOs to liaise with the Electricity Company of Ghana, Ghana Water and other service providers to ensure that their data-only SIMs are registered duly.
The Director-General also directed the MNOs to configure their systems to facilitate the use of passports for non-resident Ghanaians until December 31, 2022.
NKONKONSA.com
