2.5M SIM Cards Off Air as Safaricom Seeks to Comply With New Registration Law

Following the coming in to effect of new telecommunications industry regulations in early January 2013 requiring the mandatory registration of all SIM cards, leading integrated communications service provider Safaricom has announced the suspension of services affecting a further 1.3 million SIM cards in the final phase of the SIM registration exercise. This brings to 2.5 million the total number of SIM cards suspended by the mobile operator since the exercise commenced in January this year and it now makes the company the only telco to fully comply with the Government directive.

The company's Corporate Affairs Director, Nzioka Waita said, "We have made SIM card registration a priority for the business because of the positive impact it is expected to have in assisting law enforcement agencies in the task of curbing social vices like fraud, terrorism and election related hate messages. We are conscious of the fact that the failure to comply with the law could make Kenyans more vulnerable to fraud and criminal activities from those who continue to use unregistered SIM cards, it is therefore imperative that the industry gives this initiative its collective support." 

Once suspended, affected customers have a 90 day window within which they must register their identity information. During the suspension period they will not be able to make phone calls, send text messages, transact on M-PESA or access data services using the suspended line. Failure to register within the 90 day period will lead to total disconnection from our services.

Suspended subscribers can register their lines at any of our Safaricom shops or authorised dealer outlets countrywide. They can also check their registration status by dialling *232#.

Following the coming in to effect of new telecommunications industry regulations in early January 2013 requiring the mandatory registration of all SIM cards, leading integrated communications service provider Safaricom has announced the suspension of services affecting a further 1.3 million SIM cards in the final phase of the SIM registration exercise. This brings to 2.5 million the total number of SIM cards suspended by the mobile operator since the exercise commenced in January this year and it now makes the company the only telco to fully comply with the Government directive.

The company's Corporate Affairs Director, Nzioka Waita said, "We have made SIM card registration a priority for the business because of the positive impact it is expected to have in assisting law enforcement agencies in the task of curbing social vices like fraud, terrorism and election related hate messages. We are conscious of the fact that the failure to comply with the law could make Kenyans more vulnerable to fraud and criminal activities from those who continue to use unregistered SIM cards, it is therefore imperative that the industry gives this initiative its collective support." 

Once suspended, affected customers have a 90 day window within which they must register their identity information. During the suspension period they will not be able to make phone calls, send text messages, transact on M-PESA or access data services using the suspended line. Failure to register within the 90 day period will lead to total disconnection from our services.

Suspended subscribers can register their lines at any of our Safaricom shops or authorised dealer outlets countrywide. They can also check their registration status by dialling *232#.