20 July 2011
SALALAH -- The three-month-long Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) campaign educating mobile subscribers to be careful while giving away their SIM cards to others will wrap up today at the Salalah Tourism Festival. There will be a presentation on the role that TRA has been playing in the society in protecting their individual and collective interests as well as its co-operation with the media in educating the masses.
Titled "My Number My Identity", the nation-wide campaign aimed at educating the public against improper use of SIM cards and letting others use their SIMs without changing the ownership.
The campaign evoked overwhelming response and it has been highly instrumental in tackling cyber crimes to a great extent the statistics of which is yet to be published.
"The campaign has been initiated following a growing number of complaints filed with the ROP and the Public Prosecution Department regarding misuse of SIM cards, fake SIM cards and crimes that originated outside the country but involved the use of Omani SIM cards," Hilal O al Siyabi, Manager, Media and Consumer Affairs, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, told the Observer.
The campaign reached the masses through various media outlets and reiterated to the public that a registered SIM owner is responsible for any offence of whatever nature committed using the SIM, even if he is not a part of it but as long as the name remains unchanged, and is liable to compensate for the same.
He said both the offender and the owner are equally guilty in front of the law of justice. Hence, neither exchange of SIM card should be entertained without name change nor should a stranger be allowed to use one's GSM in order to safeguard personal interests.
"We used several ways to reach the consumer to enlighten them on any possible identity theft that may lead to issues. We also try to instruct the public to approach the TRA for justice against any issue with the operator whether it is a case of disconnection of services, or being slapped with extra bills, or a kind of breach of contract."
Alternatively, subscribers can also log on to TRA web site (www.tra.gov.om) to lodge the complaint. Abdul Khader Haddad, Deputy Head of the Dhofar Municipality will preside over the closing ceremony of the campaign at the Crowne Plaza hotel at 7 pm.
SALALAH -- The three-month-long Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) campaign educating mobile subscribers to be careful while giving away their SIM cards to others will wrap up today at the Salalah Tourism Festival. There will be a presentation on the role that TRA has been playing in the society in protecting their individual and collective interests as well as its co-operation with the media in educating the masses.
Titled "My Number My Identity", the nation-wide campaign aimed at educating the public against improper use of SIM cards and letting others use their SIMs without changing the ownership.
The campaign evoked overwhelming response and it has been highly instrumental in tackling cyber crimes to a great extent the statistics of which is yet to be published.
"The campaign has been initiated following a growing number of complaints filed with the ROP and the Public Prosecution Department regarding misuse of SIM cards, fake SIM cards and crimes that originated outside the country but involved the use of Omani SIM cards," Hilal O al Siyabi, Manager, Media and Consumer Affairs, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, told the Observer.
The campaign reached the masses through various media outlets and reiterated to the public that a registered SIM owner is responsible for any offence of whatever nature committed using the SIM, even if he is not a part of it but as long as the name remains unchanged, and is liable to compensate for the same.
He said both the offender and the owner are equally guilty in front of the law of justice. Hence, neither exchange of SIM card should be entertained without name change nor should a stranger be allowed to use one's GSM in order to safeguard personal interests.
"We used several ways to reach the consumer to enlighten them on any possible identity theft that may lead to issues. We also try to instruct the public to approach the TRA for justice against any issue with the operator whether it is a case of disconnection of services, or being slapped with extra bills, or a kind of breach of contract."
Alternatively, subscribers can also log on to TRA web site (www.tra.gov.om) to lodge the complaint. Abdul Khader Haddad, Deputy Head of the Dhofar Municipality will preside over the closing ceremony of the campaign at the Crowne Plaza hotel at 7 pm.
© Oman Daily Observer 2011
