The National Communications Authority’s new policy to ensure that all telecom operators in Ghana register SIM cards of their customers takes effect from tomorrow July 1, 2010. By this policy, one cannot buy a SIM card and readily slot it in a phone and start making calls. You will have to provide your personal details backed by your official national identity document to your service provider before you can make calls with your new SIM. However, existing customers have up to a year from Thursday to get their SIM cards registered. According to the NCA, the SIM card registration will help curb crime. Director General of NCA, Paarock Van Percy says this will also help control the increase in unsolicited text messages that spread fear and panic among the populace. “It helps in this situation of curtailing or to some extent, minimizing threats and all the mischievous calls and text messages that come with it,” he told Joy News. He said this would, particularly, make people more responsible when using their numbers. Mr Van Percy described the registration exercise as “extremely very important…obviously if the operators don’t comply then the whole exercise falls flat on its face from day one. Thankfully the operators have all been extremely cooperative”. Meanwhile the telecommunications companies are also ready to rollout the new policy starting Thursday morning. The General Manager for Sales and Distribution at MTN, Haruna Shaibu, said the company has gone the extra mile to register customers, noting that almost all its service centres have been equipped to register both new and old customers. The Corporate Affairs Manager of Vodafone, Ike Cudjoe says they will be using both manual and electronic means to get people registered at its designated retail centres. Brands Manager at Tigo, Enoch Vanderpuye says the company has deployed agents across the country to get people registered. Early on this year when the issue of SIM card registration became a major national subject of much controversy, the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education issued a statement expressing their reservations about SIM card registration. Among their concerns were issues of privacy, potential abuse of personal data and the cost of the SIM card registration that will be passed on to the consumer. Franklin Cudjoe, a fellow at the policy think tank told Joy News that the centre still has problems with the time period within which the companies are supposed to gather information from consumers. “And as we speak we still do not believe that the six months intervening before the launch of this scheme has not been sufficiently enough to design all the protocols that will prevent the misuse of data, that obviously might be coming out of this process… On the issue of privacy management we still think a lot has not been done.” Describing the policy as “over ambitious”, Mr Cudjoe said it would create a false sense of insecurity. “It is as if as soon as mobile phones [SIM cards] are registered crimes would not be committed and that you will have your peace of mind.” Bob Palitz, former chief executive of Kasapa was of the opinion that the telecom companies themselves are committed to protecting the privacy of their clients. He however raised concerns about the logistic capacity of the companies, conceding that any cost that would be incurred by them would certainly be passed on to consumers. From all indications it appears the telecom operators are ready to rollout the new SIM card registration policy. What is uncertain is whether street vendors who are the primary points of call for most customers are also ready? A couple of them Joy News spoke to revealed that not all are aware of the policy. Story by Myjoyonline.com/Joy News