DOHA: The thriving black-market in second-hand Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards of Qatar Telecom's Hala-branded prepaid mobile service will be severely affected by the company's recent regulation banning third party ownership of mobile phone numbers.
On Thursday, Qtel, at a press conference, called upon third-party owners of mobile phone Sim-cards for both, its postpaid and prepaid services, to have the numbers registered in their own names. Beginning today, such registration is offered free for a period of two months, following which the company will charge a nominal fee of QR50 per number. The regulation applies to all residents of the country who are using mobile phone numbers registered in the names of others.
"Some of these owners of mobile numbers have already left the country and in many cases, the owner is unaware of whose name the SIM card is registered in. The new regulation applies to such people," Waleed Mohammad Al Sayed, Executive Director, Group Communications, Qtel, said.
Families and companies who hold multiple numbers registered under a single name are exempted from this regulation. Such users who hold mobile phone numbers registered in others names, have to approach any Qtel customer service centre and request that it be transferred to their ownership and submit a completed form.
Staff at the centre will only request the Qatar ID card copy of the user and complete the formalities. In case the original owner has left the country for good, the mobile user will have to submit a form that states they will surrender the number to the original user if demanded.
"This directive is being enforced for the safety of all concerned. If a person holding a third party registered mobile misuses it in any manner, the original owner will be held responsible and will be liable to any criminal action that may accrue," he explained.
To enforce the directive, Qtel will coordinate with the Ministry of Interior which will provide the company with a list of expatriates who have departed from Qatar for good. Qtel will then match the ID cards and names of these expatriates with its own mobile ownership database to find if the person held a mobile phone and whether the number is still active. In such a case, a text message will be sent to the person using the mobile phone to have the ownership transferred. Repeated failure to comply with the directive can result in the service being disconnected, said Mubarak Ibrahim Mubarak, Head of Customer Service Centres, Qtel.
Qtel will also check the local media for advertisements put by companies about expatriates departing Doha for good and the status of their mobile phone numbers, he added.
"We will search our database and scout for any abnormal numbers of mobile phones registered under a single name. If we find there is a rationale or logic behind one person owning such a high number, we will permit it.
However, an expatriate, for example, who owns 50 mobile numbers, will be considered as abnormal and we will take steps to remedy the issue," Mubarak added.
Mubarak emphasised, those regularising their mobile number ownerships only need to submit a copy of their passports or Qatar ID-card since customer service staff do not check residence permits and visas.
© The Peninsula 2006
