NCA and MNOs meet to provide solutions to SIM Card registration challenges

NCA and MNOs meet to provide solutions to SIM Card registration challenges

Leadership of the National Communications Authority (NCA) have met with Chief Executive Officers of the various telecommunication companies in the country to provide solutions to the evident challenges of the SIM Card registration exercise.

The meeting which took place on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, per a press release by the NCA, was to “review and outline solutions for the issues identified with the exercise.”

Adding that, the meeting reviewed all issues concerning the exercise with focus on improving subscriber experience during the exercise.

At the end of the meeting, the NCA notes that the following solutions were agreed on by the NCA, telecommunication companies and designers of the SIM Card registration application:

• That all stakeholders, i.e. the NCA, all MNOs and App designers are committed to collaborating to ensure the success of the exercise.

• That all MNOs will work to improve customer experience at various registration centres to reduce and eliminate long queues at Stage 2 of registration.

• That all MNOs will take urgent steps to increase number of agents/staff undertaking the biometric capture at the stage 2 of the exercise, open up additional registration points and increase the number of devices for the biometric capture.

• That the MNOs will publish the locations for the SIM Registration for subscribers to easily locate centres close to them.

• That there will be continuous update of the SIM card registration application to ensure it is robust and efficient at all times.

• That there will be deeper collaboration to ensure that all associated challenges with the SIM Card Registration exercise are addressed promptly.

“It is the expectation of all stakeholders that all concerns regarding the SIM Registration will be resolved for a successful exercise,” added the NCA.

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NCA takes measures to reduce congestion at SIM card registration centers

The National Communications Authority (NCA) in a press statement issued on Friday, January 7, 2022, revealed that it has taken some measures to reduce congestion at the various centers for the SIM card registration exercise.

The NCA added that it has deployed additional registration points to commensurate with the subscriber numbers. 

The Authority furthered that, it understands the frustrations and inconvenience of costumers in their bid to complete the second stage of the SIM card registration process.

“As a result the NCA has been working assiduously with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and SIM registration application developer to improve the registration process and mitigate the current challenges,” the statement said.

It further “urged the general public to be patient as these measures are rapidly implemented.”

Telcos upgrade technical logistics to boost SIM card registration

Meanwhile, Mobile telecommunication companies in the country have upgraded their technical logistics to improve services towards the ongoing SIM card registration exercise.

As part of the improved measures and logistics, mobile network operators (MNOs) will now use an updated version of the app being used for the registration.

The telecomunication companies have also increased the number of smart phones being used for the exercise and increased the number of registration centres to include distributors, all retail outlets, as well as some selected agents.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Telecommunications Chamber, Dr. Ken Ashigbey, indicated that these interventions are part of efforts to make the exercise more efficient and convenient for subscribers.