A long wait - for naught
The call by the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRAN) to all Namibians to register their prepaid SIM cards is creating chaos at telecommunication providers, with customers having to put up with long waiting times.The authority had already requested compliance with this measure by mid-2022.
It is reported in local media that MTC clients were queuing for hours at the Black Chain Mall in Katutura. However, if clients do not comply with the registration of their SIM cards, it will be deactivated.
CRAN launched the national SIM card registration consumer awareness campaign in June 2022, saying that as of January this year, registration of all SIM cards would be mandatory.
According to CRAN's website, SIM card registration gives consumers a digital identity, and helps prevent phone-based fraud and identity theft.
While consumers are in a rush to register SIM cards now, according to CRAN, clients have until December 2023 to register their SIM cards.
For more information, visit CRAN’s website at www.cran.na