Zorena Jantze
THE Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) at the launch of their National SIM Registration Consumer Awareness Campaign has assured Namibians that this new campaign that requires all Namibians to register their cellphone numbers by 1 January 2023 will not be used as a spying tool.
Emilia Nghikembua, the Chief Executive Officer of CRAN, said that the launch of the SIM registration campaign marks a pivotal moment in telecommunications services in the country.
“Mandatory SIM registration is in line with international best practice, with 157 countries in the world currently implementing SIM registration. Namibia is one of two African countries that does not have SIM registration and we are, therefore, delighted to finally reach this milestone,” Nghikembua said.
The CEO detailed that the registration of sim cards will prevent illicit dealings and criminal activities which pose a threat to national security or individual personal safety.
“There are some occurrences when someone buys 10 SIM cards and you just notice calls from different places in the country. These cards are at times used to defraud some Namibians of their e-Wallets or the number is used to insult people, these are some of the criminal activities we are alluding to,” Nghikembua shared.
Nghikembua stated that SIM registration will also ensure that Namibians have a digital ID, however, ensured that it is not possible for network operators to tap into or listen to the conversations of their clients, adding that this is the type of misinformation which has clouded the SIM registration campaign.
CRAN obligates operators to get a certified ID copy, address and full names of any client purchasing a SIM card. Nghikembua stated that this would apply to tourists as well, adding that operators will have an obligation to have data records for the past five years of all their clients.
She however emphasized that these data records will not specify the contents of phone calls or texts, and will only include information on call records, such as who was called, how long the phone call lasted and which application was used.
Nghikembua stated that data will only be released to law enforcement officials via a warrant issued by a magistrate compelling them to get this information in case of any criminal activities detected, adding that the right to privacy is protected and any infringements on this must be addressed in the courts of law.
Queried on what the repercussions would be for those who do not follow the law and register their SIM cards, Nghikembua stated that if this is not done, the service provider will terminate the SIM card contract, leaving it non-operational.
The registration of SIM cards is free as operators will carry the operational costs of the process. The registration process will be carried out in terms of Regulations and License Conditions made pursuant to Part 6 of Chapter V of the Communications Act (No. 8 of 2009).
