NTC: No more SIM registration deadline extension

MANILA, Philippines — The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) reminded the public to have their subscriber identity module (SIM) cards registered by tonight, stressing that there will no longer be any further extension in the deadline.

It may be recalled that the government extended the original deadline of April 26, 2023 by another 90 days, as allowed under the SIM Registration Act, to give full opportunity to millions of users with still unregistered SIMs, to register the same.

“Failure to register SIMs by 11:59 p.m. (i.e., Philippine Standard Time) of July 25 will result in the deactivation of telecommunication and mobile data services including social media access, except for the purpose of having these unregistered SIMs reactivated, but only up to July 30. Access to online banking and other online financial transaction/facility shall also be deactivated,” the NTC said in a statement late Tuesday.

“By July 31, all unregistered SIMs will be permanently deactivated and can no longer be reactivated/registered,” it added.

Meanwhile, the NTC reported that as July 24, 2023, the total number of successful SIM registration was at 105.9 million, representing 63% of the total number of reported active SIM subscribers as of December 2022. 

The government agency said that such number is well within the target of between 100 million to 110 million registered SIMs come deadline, especially considering the report from the public telecommunication entities that almost all of their SIMs with active users have already registered. 

Of the 105.9 million successful SIM registrations, Smart had 50.0 million, Globe had 48.4 million and Dito had 7.5 million.