SIM Card Registration

There are 2 pending bills in the Senate dealing with the mandatory registration of SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) Cards.


In Senate Bill 289, filed by Sen. Richard Gordon, entitled “An Act Requiring the Registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards in Mobile Phones,” buyers of SIM cards would have to present a valid identification card for registration purposes. The Gordon Bill includes a provision imposing stiffer penalties for theft of cellphones and other electronic gadgets.


On the other hand, Senate Bill 191, filed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, regulates the sale of prepaid SIM cards by requiring buyers to register information that will be stored in a database to be maintained by telecommunications providers. The Lacson Bill provides that the SIM owner's registry will be transmitted to the National Telecommunications Commission and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The information contained in the SIM registry can be used by law enforcement agencies to retrieve information concerning the owner of a pre-paid SIM card used in a criminal or illegal activity.



One problem with the Lacson Bill is that it only involves the sale of pre-paid SIM cards. How about in post-paid plans? I'm not sure how post-paid plans work but I know that certain information need to be given to the telecommunications providers before one gets a post-paid plan. Are these plans covered? If not, the law can easily be skirted. There would also be problems in the implementation of the law. How would the law address the use of lost pre-paid cards in criminal/illicit activities? What measures must be taken by the government agency to ensure that information from the SIM registry are kept confidential?