Sharqiya--The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology will compel all mobile companies to register their customers' data before activating their mobile lines, the Minister of Communications announced at a meeting in Sharqiya yesterday. Minister Tareq Kamil said that mobile companies will implement these regulations soon. Customers who do not have their National ID numbers registered with their phone company's database will have their phone lines cut, he said, stressing that the new measures will help reduce prank calling. The National Telecommunication and Regulation Authority recently suggested that it will not give mobile operators additional phone numbers if they fail to abide by the new rules. The crisis escalated in March 2008 after some mobile service providers continually failed to register their customers' identification information. Kamel also stressed at the Sharqiya meeting that his ministry has began blocking phone service to incompatible mobile sets that do not meet international standards. Despite the widespread misconception that only Chinese mobiles are targeted in that regard, he affirmed that other mobiles have failed to meet these standards as well. Kamel added that all smuggled mobiles that are inconsistent with international standards will be tracked due to the health and technical damages they cause. During his visit to Sharqiya, Kamel also inaugurated a number of post offices and local telephone centers that have been recently renovated, along with other technological projects. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
