Tanzania deactivated 970,046 SIM cards despite extending the deadline for its SIM registration law, a move to combat fraudulent activity through mobile phones.
However, the vast majority of mobile users in Tanzania did register as 60.47 million out of 61.44 million signed up before the deadline, reported Ecofin Agency.
The original deadline was January 31 but the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) extended it to February 14.
Suspended SIM cards still can be reactivated within 90 days after February 14 by going through the verification process set by the TCRA.
The SIM registration law has been enforced since 2019 to combat fraud through mobiles. The TCRA recorded 12,613 fraud cases using SIM cards between October and December 2022 alone. Scammers would use practices such as SIM box fraud, identity theft and financial scams.
