M1 culls 100,000 pre-paid SIM cards under new regulations

Singaporean wireless operator MobileOne Asia (M1) has disconnected around 100,000 pre-paid mobile phone cards, roughly 20% of its pay-as-you-go user base, under new security regulations imposed by the regulatory authorities. The pre-paid cards were not registered by their owners before the 1 May deadline set under a new law designed to prevent cards being used anonymously by terrorists. M1 said it expects its pre-paid customer base will fall by 15% to 20% in the second quarter of this year, although the decision to terminate unregistered SIM cards will have little impact on the overall figure.