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Singapore takes a call on SIM cards

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: Singapore has announced new regulations to tighten its security control over the usage of pre-paid SIM cards (subscriber identification modules) by mobile phone users.

The new "regulatory regime," described by the authorities as "practical" measures, will come into effect from November 1.

Over 1.4 million pre-paid SIM cards are estimated to be in use in the City-State. This represents about 35 per cent of the local "mobile market."

SIM cards are tiny but encoded circuit boards that contain security-related and other personal particulars of the subscribers. The cards, with a number of user-friendly functions, enable the network service providers to "recognise" the callers. Easily removable, the cards can be interchanged between mobile phones, an aspect of concern to security authorities across the world.

Under the new rules, all the existing users of pre-paid SIM cards in Singapore must re-register themselves within six months from November 1. The network service providers are now mandated to "electronically record" all the details of the SIM-card customers. This requirement is designed to overcome the inadequacies of the current practices, such as the rush job of registering customers as `Santa Claus' or under the names of the retailers themselves.

Two other new requirements are a qualifying age (15 years) for customers and a ceiling (10) on the number of pre-paid SIM cards per user.

Misuse

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Wong Kan Seng said, "Criminals exploit the anonymity of pre-paid SIM cards to avoid detection.Terrorist groups like the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have done so. "

Singapore is following Australia and Switzerland in fashioning rules to monitor the usage of SIM cards.

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