Singapore, 31 March 2014 | For Immediate Release
With effect from 1 Apr 2014, the number of prepaid SIM
cards per subscriber will be reduced from 10 to
3..
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Infocomm Development
Authority of Singapore (IDA) first introduced regulatory controls
on prepaid SIM cards in 2005. Under the current regime, a
subscriber must be at least 15 years old, and can subscribe to up
to a maximum of 10 prepaid SIM cards.
As part of the Government’s ongoing security review, the maximum
number of prepaid SIM cards per subscriber will be reduced from 10
to 3, with effect from 1 April 2014. This means a subscriber can
only register up to a maximum of 3 prepaid SIM cards in total,
regardless of whether they are purchased from one or more mobile
service providers.
Criminals continue to exploit prepaid SIM cards as an anonymous
channel of communications for their illicit activities. This
revised limit will reduce the security risks associated with the
anonymous use of prepaid SIM cards. Fraudulently registered prepaid
cards have been used to perpetuate criminal activities including
unlicensed moneylending, cheating scams, vice-related and
gambling-related activities. For example, unlicensed moneylending
syndicates have been found to make use of prepaid SIM cards for
communications with debtors and among syndicate members in support
of their illegal activities. This revised limit makes it more
onerous for errant dealers to sell prepaid SIM cards that could
potentially be used for such illegal activities.
In determining this new limit, MHA and IDA have consulted the
mobile service providers and taken into consideration the
prevailing prepaid SIM card ownership patterns among consumers. The
majority of prepaid SIM card subscribers today hold three or fewer
prepaid SIM cards.
The new limit will only be applied to new prepaid SIM card
registrations. Existing subscribers can continue to use their
prepaid SIM cards. However, they will not be allowed to
register additional prepaid SIM cards.
In addition to the above changes, Singaporeans will now be allowed
to use their passports to register for prepaid SIM cards, in
addition to NRICs.
IDA