Have you verified your SIM card? All you need to know before you are deactivated

The Uganda Communications Commission recently directed that telecom companies verify simcards to ensure that every sim holder has their NIN and SIM matching. The other aim was to ensure that those whose names have been used to register several SIM Cards have the correct details attached to them.

The Commission was of the view that several people have been registering their SIM Cards in the names of spouses, relatives or maids. Some using names of agents or friends.

Here is what you need to know before your SIM Card is deactivated;

1. A customer who registered using their NIN and Name: No action required. You will not be affected by the upcoming deactivation. Note, no action is required.

2. A customer with more than one number of a particular network and has carried out biometric verification on any of the numbers on the same network dating between May 2018 to date: No further action is required.

3. A customer who used another person’s Name and NIN, please go to the nearest service centre with your valid National ID and register afresh.

4. If a customer used their name but another person’s NIN to register, please go to the nearest service centre with your valid National ID and register afresh.

5.If your Mobile Money is registered under a different name from your SIM registration, please go to the nearest service centre with your valid National ID and edit your details.

6. When you dial *197# and follow the prompts and find that there are numbers registered under your NIN that are not yours, these must be(Will be) deactivated.

7. If you registered your child’s phone number under their name but using your NIN (the Parent), the name should also have been the parent’s as well. Therefore please visit the nearest service centre and edit the details as they appear on the National ID’s holder.

8. If you lost your National ID, NIRA will issue a confirmation letter attesting to your citizenship and that your registration information exists in the NIRA database. The NIRA letter can be presented to your telecom operator to secure a SIM replacement within 72hrs, given that your name and NIN were previously captured correctly by the operator.

9. SIM card purchased, upgraded, Swapped and or replaced between May 2018 to date will not be affected by the 1st May 2019 deactivation.

10. If and when your SIM card is deactivated, you have the opportunity to reactivate the same by presenting a valid National ID for a fresh SIM Card registration.