Telecommunication companies (telcos) are ready to implement Republic Act (RA) 11934, or the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act following the release of the law’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Monday.

In a statement, Globe Telecom Inc. (Globe) announced the launch of its online SIM platform once the IRR takes effect on Dec. 27.

“All new SIMs must be registered immediately to enjoy Globe services while existing SIMs should be registered within 180 days or six months from the effectivity of the law,” it said.

To date, it is estimated that there are 87.9 million users in the Globe network.

Globe Group president and CEO Ernest Cu said some users who are unable to register their SIM cards online or simply need assistance will be able to take advantage of a “special assistance process.”

“Our goal is to have a SIM registration process that is seamless, secure, inclusive, and convenient for our customers,” Cu said.

The passage and release of IRR of the SIM Registration Act, he said, is a “significant step forward” in fighting fraudsters who take advantage of SIM anonymity in their illegal activities.

“This measure complements Globe’s long-standing fraud protection efforts, including investments in filtering systems, proactive blocking of scam and spam SMS, and data sharing partnerships with banks and other financial institutions,” he said.

On the other hand, Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) vice president and regulatory head Roy Ibay hailed the release of the IRR and its goal of being “all-inclusive” by requiring public telecommunication entities (PTEs) to provide additional assistance to persons with disabilities, senior citizens, pregnant women, and other persons with special needs in registering their SIM cards.

“We join the NTC, key regulators, government agencies, and our counterparts in other PTEs in ensuring the orderly and effective implementation of our SIM Registration Law,” Ibay said.

Francis Flores, Smart senior vice president and head of Consumer Business Group, said the SIM registration process is ready for a rollout after “months of preparations.”

“We will release more information about the SIM registration portal via our official channels in the next few weeks,” Flores said.

Earlier, the NTC released the IRR of RA 11934 that required users to register their SIM cards within 180 days from the effectivity of the law, with an extended registration period of not longer than 120 days.

Failure to register a SIM within this period will result in its automatic deactivation but may still be reactivated after registration and must not be made later than five days from deactivation. (PNA)