Which customers are required to take a photo when registering for a prepaid subscription?

A representative of the Telecommunications Department said that taking photos only applies to new subscribers or subscribers with incorrect information who must re-register.

Who must take a photo when registering subscriber information?

The Telecommunications Department said that in fact, in the past, due to revenue profits and also because the organization of enforcement was not really strict, some employees of enterprises and especially SIM card distribution agents, subscriber information registration points have forged subscriber information, even used IT to create fake ID cards, took the ID card of one person and attached it to the subscriber number to sell to another person... to connect mobile SIMs without the need for a real person to register to use the service.

The Ministry Inspectorate has discovered many cases of fake information registration and pre-activated SIMs, and transferred them to the Ministry of Public Security for criminal investigation and the Prime Minister has also requested the Ministry of Public Security to promptly report the results.

Taking photos only applies to new development subscribers or subscribers with incorrect information, must re-register.

For the above reasons, Decree 49/2017/ND-CP has stipulated the requirement to add a photo of the person directly coming to sign the contract according to the form and general transaction conditions.

A photo of the person who comes in person will be the most authentic evidence to ensure the right person and the right time of implementation, avoiding the situation where the telecommunications service provider intentionally uses an individual's documents to register subscriber information for other subscriber SIMs (without the individual's knowledge) while the business does not have enough tools to detect as has happened in the past, especially in the context of Decree 49/2017/ND-CP removing the regulation on the limit on the number of subscriber SIMs for each organization and individual.

The representative of the Telecommunications Department said that taking photos only applies to newly developed subscribers or subscribers with incorrect information who must re-register. For subscribers whose information is correct (for example, postpaid subscribers, subscribers switching from postpaid to prepaid, new subscribers re-registering information according to regulations in the recent past), there is no need to take photos, but the business only needs to add photos and the business must take full responsibility for that.

Mobile networks will have 12 months from the effective date of the Decree to review their databases and notify subscribers whose information is incorrect according to the Decree's regulations to re-register (including taking photos).

Does taking photos cause difficulties for network operators and people?

The representative of the Telecommunications Department said that compared to the fingerprinting requirements of some countries, this regulation creates many favorable conditions for businesses and people, because the investment in equipment and the process of collecting and storing fingerprints is much more complicated than taking photos. From the perspective of businesses, this regulation is completely feasible because taking photos is very easy, simple and quick, just using a smartphone, iPad, webcam, or suitable camera.

Decree 49 also provides some regulations to facilitate people in registering and re-registering subscriber information, especially in the first 12 months after the Decree takes effect. In addition to establishing fixed telecommunications service points as usual, businesses have the right to establish mobile service points to serve people better and faster.

Businesses can deploy mobile points in densely populated residential areas, apartment buildings, commune and ward people's committees, schools, hospitals, markets, etc. During the first 12 months, for active subscribers with incorrect information, businesses can send transaction staff to meet customers directly to update information and take photos without the user having to go to the business's service points.

In addition, individuals are allowed to enter into contracts according to the model and general transaction conditions for their biological or adopted children under 14 years old and those under their guardianship as prescribed by law, meaning that children or the elderly can have their parents or children enter into contracts on their behalf.

The deployment of a complete and properly regulated subscriber information database is truly aimed at protecting national security, social order and safety, and protecting the people. Therefore, the Ministry of Information and Communications hopes that customers will understand and cooperate for the common benefit of the country and each individual.

According to ICT News