No Pre-Activated SIMs to be Sold after January 31st

We know that PTA in collaboration with cellular companies, had been working to takeout all pre-active SIMs from market in order to decrease sale of illegal SIMs. Today, ‘The News’ while citing PTA’s spokesman has reported that no pre-activated SIM would be sold after January 31st.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and cellular companies are almost done with planning to introduce ‘inactive SIMs’ in the market. The activation of SIMs will take place only after verification of subscriber’s information from NADRA.

Sale outlets like, franchises, retailers and cellular companies’ customer service centers will sell inactive SIMs. After selling the SIM, a call centre operator of the mobile company will make a call to the customer and will ask few questions to verify his particulars. If the answers are correct, the SIM will be activated. The system will be deployed all over the country by early 2009.

However, I am not sure how each and every sold number will be handled and activated by outbound calls instead of inbound ones. Furthermore, the process will also decrease the net addition in cellular subscribers per month for all cellular companies (which have already gone down to hit bottom limit).