MyBroadband recently set out to see if the new Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act (RICA) had any influence on buying and activating a new cellular SIM card, and the results were telling. We purchased and activated cellular SIM cards from different retailers and official cellular shops without being asked for identification.<\/p>\n
There was one exemption: The official MTN shops asked for identification, but this was not a particularly difficult stumbling block to overcome. The MTN sales attendant kindly pointed us in the direction of Clicks where he said we will not have these identification hassles (and he was entirely correct).<\/p>\n
The next MTN shop that we visited asked for an identification document or other form of ID, but when we could not produce an official document they were satisfied with an ID number supplied without the required verification to confirm that the ID number belonged to me.<\/p>\n
August D-Day for mobile operators<\/strong><\/p>\n RICA became effective in July<\/a>, but it is clear that this new law has had very little impact on the prepaid cellular market. This is however set to change next month, mainly because the Department of Justice has indicated that it will start to impose penalties on the cellular operators from 1 August if they do not comply with RICA.<\/p>\n According to one source consumers may well be able to purchase a SIM card without providing identification, but he said that they will not be able to activate a new ‘unregistered’ SIM without proper identification.<\/p>\n Before a new SIM card can be activated, it will need to be registered – either at the time of purchase or afterwards at an authorized outlet which can verify SIM card identifications.<\/p>\n These outlets will also be used to verify and register the identities of current prepaid mobile phone users. Unless a prepaid cellular phone SIM is registered by 1 January 2011, the SIM will be disconnected. <\/p>\n