90% of pre-paid subscribers behind on phone registration

Colombian telecoms watchdog the Communication Regulation Commission (CRC) has reported that 90% of pre-paid subscribers have not yet registered their handsets with operators. The government has launched a programme to reduce mobile phone theft that calls for wireless subscribers to register the International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) of their phones on a national database. If the phone is subsequently stolen and the theft is reported, the handset can be locked remotely, preventing its use with other SIM cards, whilst the service provider disconnects the active SIM. The CRC reported that as of 1 October, 14 million subscribers had registered their devices, representing all post-paid subscribers, but only 10% of pre-paid subscribers. The remainder have until 15 October to register their handsets. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that as at end-June 2012, there were 46.92 million wireless subscribers in Colombia.