The Real Subscriber Base – Astonished, Concerned and Frustrated!
A quick recap of the cellular trend watch as of July 2009 shows a total subscriber base of more than 95.5 million as of July 2009. At that time Mobilink and Telenor were leading and month to month subscriber change also showed a consistent increase in subscriber base over the past three months.
With the successful on going SIM Information System 668 campaign, official sources at PTA have revealed that the cellular phone companies have blocked 12.9 million SIMs in two weeks of launch, reported Daily News. Data of around 0.813 million subscribers has been rectified by the relevant mobile phone companies so far, they said while nearly 5 million subscribers have sought verification from the authority so far. PTA officials said that number of blocking of SIM could increase further as the millions of remaining customers will check their SIMs information against their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC).
With this it is speculated that the total subscriber base will fall along with reduction in individual operator’s subscribers.
The campaign although a good move by PTA to counter misinformation in data have raised astonishment, concerns and frustration in the customers. Here I am sharing a few comments of consumers at telecompk’s posts on the same earlier this week.
Muhammad Riaz says,
How astonishing to know that 57 SIMs are registered to my CNIC but I have only 2 SIMs of Mobilink. I ask why the phone operator have misused my CNIC. Now no one is paying attention to my request for blocking the SIMs.
Riaz if what you have said is right it has left me astonished too. 57 SIMs on a single CNIC. In this case who takes up the responsibility of misusing CNIC, the franchise or the operator?
On the other hand Zubair Bashir from Norway has a serious concern,
There are a total 31 different company connections on my name which I didn’t know. I used only 3 or 4 of them. I am in Norway, how will I contact customer services.
Zubair could be just one of the many who are abroad and want to know how could they get their data corrected. Many local consumers have also complained about lack of knowledge of the customer service center nearest to them.
Another consumer Muhammad Saeed expresses frustration over not knowing the numbers registered on his CNIC,
I had send a message with my CNIC No. at 668 to know the total numbers of SIMs issued against my name. I was astonished to know that there are 6 Mobilink SIMs registered to my Name. Main jannna chahta hoon keh mari ID par kon kon sa NO. active hain?
This again shows a lack of awareness of the procedure to get the information corrected.
To facilitate, I have played the part social media can play by doing a post on how to get the SIM information corrected and by providing links to addresses of the CSCs/Business Centers but I feel this has to be done on a much larger scale. PTA along with all operators should come up with an TV/Newspaper advertisements to create awareness for the common masses. Advertisement may include knowledge of the procedure to get the SIM information corrected. It may also be helpful for the consumers if CSCs/Business Centers addresses are advertised in local newspapers.
If these steps are taken we are sure to have all the real subscriber base have their information corrected and know their exact count.
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And for your information this confusion started when PTa orders all Mobile Companies to block their sims which are unregistered, and in this case if million of sims being get blocked then it was a major drawback for Mobile Companies in case of income they were earning from these numbers, and in my view the only solution they have at that time was to register as many sims as possible to available CNIC Numbers without notice of real subscribers.
Yes u both r right but for your information I not only have crossed the CNIC but also mentioned the sim number on its both surfaces,
and astonishingly its now quite obvious that the person who is entering our data is not being checked by proper laws, it could be anyone, i can put up any ones CNIC number against as many SIMS as possible if i am entering the data.
Good point Usman.
It will be all better if we cross the CNIC copy with the number we are buying. It should be made mandotry.
Why not next time stop giving copy of your CNIC as if it is some bloody autograph?
And yes as many people will say, cross the photocopy of your CNIC with written detail of why you are giving anyone your CNIC.
@Faisal, it is important for you to get the information corrected now.
@Babar yeah, the target 100 million not this year :(!
Zubair from Norway should be afraid – very afraid. Someone might use those SIMs in his name to perform terrorist acts and he’ll end up like that Indian Muslim doctor in Australia who got persecuted by the police there.
Arsalan – great observations. This is the reason why PTA has not updated subscriber numbers since July 2009. I think the goal for 100 million subscribers has been pushed to 2010!
I have already suffered from the same situation and a sim issued on my CNIC was found to be used by a criminal, and i was held under investigation with out any concern.
but real horror is that after confirming from PTA i have found that total number of sims issued on my CNIC are 9 and i am actually using only 2. No one is bothering to investigate the local dealer who used my CNIC for registering the other Sims.
I think this situation will get even worse if our Electronic Media did not took public in trust, because they are running on Mobile Companies Adds.
Faisal Riaz