Millions of mobile SIM numbers have been re-issued to new customers without the knowledge of the original users, the Telecom Regulatory Commission (TRC) Director General Anusha Palpita said. He conceded that anything between five to ten million old numbers may have be re-issued by private phone companies during the past several years. “These numbers may [...]

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By Leon Berenger
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Millions of mobile SIM numbers have been re-issued to new customers without the knowledge of the original users, the Telecom Regulatory Commission (TRC) Director General Anusha Palpita said.
He conceded that anything between five to ten million old numbers may have be re-issued by private phone companies during the past several years.

“These numbers may have remained inactive for a period of six months after the day of purchase and therefore re-sold to fresh customers. This is understandable by the phone companies since they tend to lose business if the numbers are not used by the customer,” he said.

However the phone companies have been repeatedly instructed to adhere to strict guidelines such as obtaining personal details from each customer such as the National Identity Card (NIC) number, photograph and address of permanent residence and so on, Mr. Palpita added.

However phone companies have also been instructed to inform the original owner on the proposed re-issue otherwise it could lead to various legal and other complications, he said. He added that there have been several complaints received by the phone companies and new guidelines will be set up soon to streamline the issue before it blows out of proportion.

He said for example thousands of Sri Lankan expatriate workers and others who return to the country on vacation would purchase a local SIM for use during his or her stay.

Once the individual leaves the country the SIM number is discarded and will remain inactive proving a loss to the relevant phone company. There are other cases where a single individual will have four to five SIM cards purchased for various reasons but tends to use just one while the others remain in silent mode, he explained.

Dumindra Ratnayake with Etisalat said at present his company had some 4.5million active users and an equal number inactive.

“People purchase SIM cards for various purposes and thousands migrate never to come back while that particular number remains idle. This is bad for business and the only left option is to re-sell the SIM number to a fresh customer.

“Of course we maintain strict procedures as set out by the Authority and are always ready to provide the same number to a customer who had misplaced or lost his/her phone,” Mr. Ratnayake said.
There is also a fall out by this exercise as a housewife in Ragama and a married woman in Kandy found out recently.

“Shortly after I purchased my mobile SIM card from a way-side promotion stall in the city there was a female caller who insisted that this particular number belonged to a clergyman from her village.
”After several more calls from this person I was finally able to convince her otherwise and then the calls stopped,” Priscilla Hannibalsz told the Sunday Times.

At a private household in Kandy a woman is challenging her husband to prove his innocence after the number of a mobile phone he had once lost was answered by a female.

According to our correspondent the man had lost his phone while bathing in the sea several months ago and did not bother to seek the same number from the phone company but instead purchased a fresh number.

It took some time before the man could convince her and the matter ended there, our correspondent added.




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