Real-name registration for Hong Kong SIM cards to begin on March 1

Existing prepaid SIM card users have also have to complete the registration with the respective operators by Feb 23, 2023.

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A man uses his mobile phone while standing on a promenade that runs along Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on Dec 14, 2020. (ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)

February 7, 2022

HONG KONG – Hong Kong residents will need to complete real-name registration for their SIM cards starting from March 1, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said on Monday.

In a statement, the government pointed out that the Telecommunications (Registration of SIM Cards) Regulation, which took effect on Sept 1, 2021, requires real-name registration for Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards.

Existing prepaid SIM card users have to complete the registration with respective operators by Feb 23, 2023. Otherwise, the SIM cards will be rendered deactivated, the government said

The government said that, under the second phase of the law’s implementation, all new SIM service plans and pre-paid SIM cards issued from March 1 onwards will need to complete real-name registration before activation.

Existing prepaid SIM card users have to complete the registration with respective operators by Feb 23, 2023. Otherwise, the SIM cards will be rendered deactivated, the government said.

Meanwhile, existing SIM service plan users do not need to register again unless they change to another operator or subscribe to a new phone number.

Residents can follow their operators’ instructions to complete the real-name registration, while registration of those aged below 16 needs the endorsement by an adult and the personal information of the adult will also have to be registered, the government said.

Corporate users need to register by providing business registration information and the personal information of a designated responsible person.

Each individual user may register no more than 10 pre-paid SIM cards with each telecommunications operator, while each corporate user may register up to 25 pre-paid SIM cards, according to the regulation, adding that there is no limit on the number of SIM service plan cards that can be registered.

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