Cellular companies are ready to float in-active SIMs from January 31st, 2009. All companies have trained their franchisers and those who are responsible for direct sales about the sale process and procedure to be adopted from the said date.
So from January 31st, 2009 for each sold SIM, customer will have to dial a number (most probably 789, for free of course) and will have to tell his/her CNIC number. Customer can call this number with-in five minutes he gets his/her SIM – meaning that, if you just purchased a SIM, and came out of franchise, you can dial the number and request for SIM activating straight away.
Representatives available on this helpline will ask your CNIC, after which they will verify at-least three more things about you, which can be your cell number, education, address, mother’s name and so on. (All this information will be matched with NADRA’s data).
After your CNIC is verified, your number will be activated in 12 hours to 48 hours’ time.
At this point, your number will be associated with your CNIC – point that must be noted here, is that your must have given same CNIC on SIM registration form.
Your SIM will be blocked in case CNIC (that you verified from operator) and the one you provided on the registration form mismatched.
Also, all un-sold SIMs will become in-active from January 31st, 2009.
We must appreciate PTA for leading the industry, and introducing such a safe passage.