Maria David
A TOTAL of about 1.4 million people have registered their SIM cards countrywide, according to MTC spokesperson John Ekongo.
This translates to 72 percent of people having registered their SIM cards.
Ekongo revealed this during a media engagement held on Saturday in Ongwediva, stating that they have 1,931,100 total prepaid customers.
Former Minister of Information, Communication, and Technology Peya Mushelenga extended the SIM card registration deadline to March 31.
The deadline was initially set for December 31, with users who had not registered facing deactivation of SIM cards.
According to Ekongo, SIM card registration is mandatory, and their intention is to ensure the protection of SIM card owners who might fall victim to scams.
“We have no other business with SIM card registration other than ensuring your security as technology evolves,” he said.
He then reminded people that there are only about 44 days left for the extension period to expire, and once it does, SIM cards will be deactivated.
This means they will be in a non-provisional mode, and owners of the cards will have three months to ensure they are registered.
Ekongo indicated that failure to do so will result in the digital footprint of that number becoming nonexistent.
To date, Ekongo said that they have employed additional agents and created various mobile teams in Oshana, Oshikoto, Omusati, and Ohangwena regions, with online registration still ongoing.
“All urban areas are covered, and we need to service other areas such as Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, and Kunene,” he added.
He then urged people to visit all mobile points to register their SIM cards before the due date.
