ID requirement from 30 November

[goodgirl]

V3G or anyone, do you know by any chance how the changes will be applied from end of November 2005 regarding ID requirement / registration of mobile hardware and prepaid SIM cards?

Will you be able to buy prepaid SIMs in stores like now, but the activation would then require you to give Vodacom your personal details over the phone during activation or by fax.

Or will it all be done in-store, which would mean you could not simply buy a SIM starter pack for 6 Rand at pick&pay or elsewhere?

With hardware, how do they intend to enfore that if people buy second hand, say in auctions?

 

[vodacom3g]

I know the discussions with the minister was still ongoing last week but will check the current status.

 

[goodgirl]

Did you hear anything by any chance?

I know the discussions with the minister was still ongoing last week but will check the current status.

 

[vodacom3g]

Status is still the same:

There were some meetings with the department to discuss this and the operators are awaiting feedback and official direction from the Minister. A reply is expected this week still.

 

[neio]

I heard about this from someone from SARS.
Apparently a lot of transactions are being done on prepaid cards and there is no way to trace people from the pre-paid's. Thus they are now requiring identification to get pre-paid sims.

 

[goodgirl]

Yes, obviously.

 

[jarr]

so this is only for new purchases then?

 

[goodgirl]

so this is only for new purchases then?

That's another one of my questions, could it be possible that verifications would be attempted for previously purchased, but not yet activated SIMs, once you try to use them for the first time - or even already activated SIMs and you get asked to verify your ID.

 

[Kneebough]

Tip of the day: Go and buy a few prepaid sims. Slap some airtime on them and keep them alive.

 

[ajax]

We will probably have the same fiasco as with the new driver's licenses. I.e. government says we must register by such-and-such a date, nobody registers, so they extend it, then some register and there's a rush at the end and not enough manpower to handle it all, then it is extended again, and so on. We are probably ok till 2008

 

[beattheban]

Bunch of morons running the country - they actually believe that bad guys won't be able to lay their hands on sim cards. Bad guys are bad because they have things like false ID's - duh?

The same government believes that disarming the law abiding South Africans with their impossible new gun laws will prevent bad guys form using guns? - duh!

The cops should be chasing the crims and not threating law abiders with jail for non compliance.

Morons I say! (hey antowan?)

 

[goodgirl]

Totally agree with you beattheban, in other countries it's the same, ID was needed for years to even buy an activate a starter pack. Whoever wants to find a way around it will find one, and no one can stop people to sell their SIM cards to others without taking their details (ebay etc) - it's just added inconvenience and data mining of the general public.

 

[beattheban]

most laws they pass theses days only affect/inconvenience the law-abiders (the soft and easy target for the government)

 

[Skeptik]

interesting! This probably explains why Shoprite are selling all sims for 99c. MTN are also being generous by adding 10 rand free to any - even lowest - topups. I think they are worried about the new legislation.