Over 21.7 million SIM cards are yet to be registered biometrically
Dar es Salaam. With 18 days left before the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) ends the biometric registration of SIM cards, only 42 per cent SIM cards in operation have been register.
The regulatory authority said this on Friday, December 13, when give the status on registration that there are 21.7 million SIM cards that are yet registered out of over 47 million SIM cards, calling on public to use the remaining days to register their SIM cards.
Out of the Seven telecom providers none is yet to reach 50 per cent registration therefore standing a risk of losing out on transactions with Vodacom Tanzania having the biggest number.
The unregistered SIM cards are as follows: Airtel Tanzania (7,185,528), Tigo (6,618, 007), Smile (13,333),( TTCL 825,406), Viattel (3,012,237), Vodacom (9,154,114) and Zantel (573,891)
TCRA Director General James Kilaba said the biometric registration are very open including maintain security and to protect the users with misuse of mobile phones.
“This exercise started in May, hopeful people were aware so on December 31 it will the last day for people to use SIM cards which have not been registered biometrically. So I strongly urge Tanzanians to use these remaining days,” he said
He added: For example there are 3 million people have already received their National Identification Number (NIN) from the National Identification Authority (Nida) but are yet register their SIM cards yet the agents are almost everywhere.
Speaking at the same briefing, Nida Director General Dr Arnold Kihaule called on public to register their SIM cards as the process of issuance the (NIN) is still going on.
