The subscriber identification module (Sim) card registration exercise, which was launched in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, requires an integrated system to help in the identification of subscribers and deregistration of illegal Sim cards, experts say.

Reports from the countries’ regulatory authorities and mobile operators show that the process has been marred by identification challenges.

READ: Region rolls out sim card switch-off

The Communications Authority of Kenya said it will impose a penalty on mobile operators who have failed to enforce the requirement.

“We have a framework that is awaiting the Attorney-General’s approval. It has the highest penalty we have ever put in place for the operators,” said Francis Wangusi, CA’s director-general, without disclosing the actual amount of the fine.

Previously recommended penalties are yet to be effected.

The process kicked off in June 2010 in Kenya.

In Tanzania Zaipuna Yohah, former Director of ICT in the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology and now a consultant engineer in ICT said since July 2009, when the process was launched, it was left to run on its own, with service providers required to “force” new subscribers to register following several deadline extensions.

“To the best of my knowledge, we do not have a direct link between death registration and Sim card registration and this is unfortunate. Only a national ID programme would solve the problem. For now, consider it one of the grey areas that could open a regulatory trap,” said Dr Yonah.

According to Innocent Mungy, Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) spokesperson, there will never be 100 per cent registration as new Sim cards are sold everyday.

In Uganda, the Communications Authority does not have the capacity to determine unregistered but active Sim cards and this leaves the registration of Sim cards to the discretion of telecom companies. In addition, they do not have a database to establish the registered or non-registered Sim cards since the initiative started in March 2012.

Operators said it was a challenge to detect subscribers, especially where there are no proper identification documents like a driving licence. ID registration is ongoing in Uganda.

“In Uganda there is no national ID unique to everyone,” said Phrase Lubega, MTN Uganda general manager for sales and distribution.

READ: Uganda plans to phase out fake handsets, unregistered Sim cards

He said whenever notified, MTN takes appropriate steps to either close accounts of the deceased.

According to Thomas Makau, an ICT and telecoms analyst, the regulatory authorities should have their own database and the mandate to detect and switch off any Sim card that is not registered with the national database.

“Any new registrations should reflect immediately in the authorities’ databases and deregister automatically in case of death. Leaving the exercise entirely in the hands of the operators, creates loopholes even for fraud,” said Mr Makau.

The registration process was meant to help in the identification and tracking of mobile phone Sim card owners while curbing usage of phones to commit crimes in these countries.

Reports from Rwanda show that some of the unregistered SIM cards have not been switched off despite the registration process starting in February 2013.

Additional reporting by Isaac Khisa and Costantine Muganyizi