Zambia switches off 2.4 million unregistered SIMs

The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has deactivated some 2.4 million Sim cards due to the failure of subscribers to register them before the 31 January deadline issued by the agency, Biztech reported. The deactivated lines represent more than 23 percent of the nation’s 10.3 million subscribers. ZICTA directed the operators Airtel, Zamtel and MTN to effect the disconnections. ZICTA inspectors are conducting verification exercises. Any mobile service provider connecting an unregistered Sim card will be punished, the authority said. Subscribers that registered their SIM cards but have been disconnected should go and see the operators immediately.