LEGAZPI CITY – The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), together with other government agencies and local government units (LGUs) in the Bicol Region, will set up satellite subscriber identity module or SIM registration centers to assist individuals having difficulties in enlisting their mobile numbers.
Lawyer Judy Ann Bilangel, NTC legal officer, in a radio interview on Thursday said they will be setting up registration booths which will serve the public for 60 days.
“In the Bicol region, we still have areas with intermittent or no internet or mobile data services, so in 60 days, there will be satellite or booth registrations that will be set up by our telcos in coordination with NTC, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in coordination with different LGUs and the Department of Education (DepEd). In the next few days, we will post the areas where they can go for help to register their SIM or mobile numbers,” Bilangel said.
She said based on their monitoring, there are now such booths established and serving residents in Naga City.
Bilangel noted the low turnout in SIM registration at present, citing as some of the reasons the traffic in the internet servers, low internet connection and difficulties in filling out the forms.
“Yung ibang reasons po, mahina or walang access sa internet (other reasons were weak or no access to the internet), some identification cards provided were not accepted during the registration and last are those senior citizens that have difficulties in filling the required data in the website,” she said.
Bilangel also advised users of analog phones to borrow their relatives’ smartphones to register their SIM.
“But if they have privacy concerns, they can wait for the satellite booths, or they can go to the malls and ask for the assistance of the wireless centers of their SIM card providers,” she said.
NTC-Bicol encouraged residents not to wait until the last minute to register their mobile numbers. (PNA/ By Connie Calipay )
