The tally of registered Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards has breached 35 million, but this number is relatively small compared to the sum total of unregistered SIMs which currently is at 133,643,043.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), on its latest tally, bared that there are now 35,334,730 registered SIMs across the Philippines. This, however, is only 20.91 percent of the nearly 170 million existing cards in the country.
Smart Communications Inc. has so far accomplished 26.71 percent of its registrations. Globe Telecom has completed 16.45 percent, while Dito Telecommunity has so far reached 20.74 percent.
Despite the “slowdown” amid the so-called registration lull, government officials have expressed confidence that the mandatory registration “will be successful.” Earlier, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo said assisted SIM registrations, especially in remote areas, are still ongoing to help Filipinos comply with the law.
The registrations will end in two months — specifically on April 26, 2023. Unregistered SIMs will automatically be deactivated pursuant to Republic Act No. 11934.