Telecom Namibia is ready and has commenced with the prepaid SIM card registration process. As of Friday the 19th of August 2022, registrations will be done at all Teleshops nationwide or any registered reseller of Telecom Namibia.
The Minister of Information and Communication Technology in terms of Part 6 of the Communications Act of 2009 published Regulations, which authorised the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) to impose additional conditions on mobile service providers, including Telecom Namibia, to enable the registration of SIM cards in Namibia. These conditions were imposed by CRAN on 28 April 2022.
According to Telecom Namibia’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Stanley Shanapinda, SIM card registration is about public safety in cyber space. “SIM registration requires customers to register a SIM card in their name to access TN mobile services and other related products. Similarly, it is an important tool for preventing phone-based fraud, scams, identity theft and other criminal activity. Law enforcement agencies can only access a customer’s call data if a crime has been reported and a warrant has been issued by a judge. As such, and because we take the privacy of our customers seriously, it is only under these legal circumstances that we will disclose any records.”
The registration is free and done in person, and TN customers will be expected to bring the following original documents for a successful registration.
- An ID card, or passport, or valid driver’s license, or valid voter’s card;
- A police declaration that declares that the customer is the rightful owner of the number and that the SIM can be registered under their name;
- Proof of residence such as, municipal statement or lease agreement, municipal registration certificate or police declaration of where the customer resides or a letter from your nearest church, school, constituency councillor or police declaration that declares the residing address; and
- Lastly, kindly bring your SIM card, and if assistance is required to access the SIM then also bring your mobile device and/or pocket Wi-Fi.
- Regarding minors, a mobile service provider may not conclude a contract allowing a minor or a person under legal guardianship to obtain a SIM card, unless the minor or person under legal guardianship is accompanied by his/her parent or legal guardian with authentic proof of such parenthood or guardianship.
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) announced the mandatory registration of all SIM cards in Namibia, which will come in effect on 1 January 2023. All operators are expected to register all existing customers within twelve months from 1 January 2023 and all-new subscriptions within three months of the date of sale, after which unregistered SIM cards would be deactivated.