Mobitel launches registration system

Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel, the National Mobile Services Provider has launched its Registration /Re-Registration scheme of its subscribers.

This is in response to a directive by the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), that all mobile phone subscribers be registered with their respective network and prove ownership of the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) in their possession whenever they are requested to do so by the security forces or police personnel.

All Mobitel subscribers are provided with the facility to register or re-register at any of the 65 Mobitel Centres by producing the SIM or SIMs in their possession along with their National Identity Card (NIC), valid Passport or Driving Licence (DL).

Each Centre is staffed with trained personnel and equipped with the facility to take a digital photograph of the subscriber which will then be sent to a central database via MMS.

Those subscribers, who do not wish to be photographed this way, can bring in their own photograph which will be verified and scanned at the centre and then sent to the database.

The children who do not possess a valid proof of identity but, wish to obtain a Mobitel connection or have been using one, can accompany their parents or guardians to the centre and register/re-register SIM under their (parents' or guardians') name.

Once the Registration/Re-registration process has been successfully completed, subscribers will be notified via SMS. Anytime thereafter, subscribers can receive the ownership details of their SIM on the phone in the form of a Mobitel Digital Certificate (MDC) by dialling #132# from their Mobile Phone.

Upon Registration/Re-Registration the subscriber will be issued with a temporary Mobitel Identification Card (MIC) and the arrangements will be made to deliver the permanent MIC to the registered address of the subscriber by post.

In the case of a child, the MIC will bear his or her photo and name though the SIM is registered under their parents' or guardians' name.

Chairperson, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel Mrs. Leisha De Silva Chandrasena said, "As the National Mobile Services provider, we have decided to comply 100% with the directive issued by the TRCSL.

Thus we will issue a printed ownership certificate which we call Mobitel Identification Certificate or MIC for short, in addition to the Mobitel Digital Certificate which can be easily invoked by the user."