Several UAE residents were seen teeming at mobile network provider outlets to re-register their Sim cards. As per the 'My Number, My Identity' campaign launched by the Telecommunications and Regulatory Authority (TRA), Etisalat and Du mobile phone users who received SMS texts on re-registration of the Sim cards were seen at various service provider outlets over the weekend. Both pre and post paid subscribers have to re-register and the last date for the first batch is October 16. A sales manager at one of the Etisalat outlets in a shopping mall said: "Once you have received an SMS from your network provider, you can come in to re-register your Sim card. If the registration is not done, initially, all outgoing calls from your mobile will be barred." He added that network providers will give a grace period of three months, after which the number will be cancelled completely, if re-registration is not completed. Outlet managers added that they have not been experiencing any rush. "The procedure is pretty simple. You have to give an ID proof like a passport copy or an Emirates ID, and fill a form. The whole process can be completed in five minutes," a salesman said. Joslyn Fernandes, a resident of Sharjah, said: "The procedure is pretty simple. I did not receive an SMS from my network provider, but I got my Sim re-registered anyway." Another Dubai resident Khalid said: "I got an SMS last week from my network provider last week. I got it re-registered today." The campaign was launched by Telecom Regulatory Authority earlier this year to crack down on criminal use of SIMs and to prevent identity theft. Mohammed Nasser Al Ghanim, TRA chairman, said in July that the "The 'My Number, My Identity' campaign aims "to protect users and their interests to prevent them from falling prey to misuse of the numbers by others." The timeframe of registration of all users in the country will last for a period of approximately 18 months. The process is divided into six stages to ensure that all of the users have successfully completed their registration. Khaleej Times
