SIMs registered at 103.1M as of July —NTC

The number of registered mobile phone subscriber identification modules (SIMs) has reached over 100 million as of the middle of July, according to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Days before the extended SIM registration expires, data from the NTC's website showed that a total of 103,101,99 SIMs have been registered as of July 13, 2023.

That accounts for 61.36% of the total 168,016,400 subscriber base.

Broken down, the 103.101 million registered SIMs are composed of 48.798 million Smart subscribers, accounting for 73.60% of the company’s total 66.304 million subscriber base.

Globe followed with 47.025 million registered SIMs or 54.21% of its 86.746 million total subscribers.

DITO Telecommunity’s registered subscribers, meanwhile, reached 7.278 million or 48.64% of its 14.964 million total customers.

In April, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. approved a 90-day extension of the SIM registration period until July 25 from the original deadline of April 26.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is looking to register 70% of the total subscriber base.

The implementing rules and regulations of the SIM Card Registration Act took effect on December 27, 2022, after the measure was signed into law by Marcos in October last year.

The SIM Registration Act seeks to end crimes using the platform, including text and online scams, by regulating the sale and the use of SIMs through mandating registration to end-users.

The law mandates all telcos to submit a verified list of their authorized dealers and agents nationwide to the NTC and an updated list of the same every quarter of each year.

The DICT earlier said it will gradually deactivate some SIM services, such as access to social media accounts and the ability to make outgoing calls, as the 90-day additional registration period moves forward. —VAL, GMA Integrated News