SIMs not verified via BVS to be blocked in phases | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

SIMs not verified via BVS to be blocked in phases

Pakistan Press Foundation

The government and cellular industry reached an understanding on phase-wise blocking of Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs), not verified through Biometric Verification System (BVS), it is learnt. Official sources told Business Recorder that not a single SIM would be automatically blocked despite the given deadline for first phase of SIM re-verification on February 26 (Thursday).

After the expiry of initial deadline mobile operators would send SMS to customers with a specific time period for re-verification of SIMs and in case of failure it would be blocked, sources maintained. By the end of given deadline about 67 millions SIMs have been verified through BVS whereas around 10.3 million were disowned/blocked. The remaining SIMs would be re-verified with prior alerts and SMS through respective mobile operators, sources added.

Officials maintained that it was agreed with the cellular operators to keep the exact deadline in secret otherwise people would not bother to re-verify their SIMs through BVS. If all the remaining SIMs are automatically blocked after the given deadline, huge rush was expected at service centers, franchises and retail outlets to verify SIMs and they would not be able to handle the situation.

Currently, total industry customers are approximately 140 million of which 36 million were already verified through BVS or blocked while the remaining 103 million would be re-verified. The un-verified SIMs are divided into two categories including 59 million white list subscribers (1 & 2 SIMs per CNIC and not in sensitive areas) and 44 million grey list (sensitive areas-21 million + rest of Pakistan with 2+ SIMs per CNIC per Cellular Mobile Operator (CMO) -23 million).

In the first phase started on January 12, 44 million SIMs would be re-verified including 21 million of sensitive areas (Karachi, Peshawar, DI Khan, DG Khan, Balochistan and FATA), and 23 million grey list subscribers. The first phase was completed by February 26 after which all un-verified SIMs were supposed to be blocked. However, sources revealed that no SIM would be blocked. The second phase would start from February 27, where 59 million white list of rest of Pakistan (1&2 SIMs per CNIC per CMO) would be re-verified and the process would be completed by April 14, 2015 after which all un-verified SIMs would be blocked.

Business Recorder