Economic Reporter :
Although three days are to go to expire the deadline of biometric SIM registration, over 30 million SIMs still remained unverified, according to data available with the regulator.
As a last-ditch effort, the cellular phone operators have already announced big amounts of cash and prizes to ensure biometric verification of maximum number of SIMs.
But, at the final moments, subscribers are facing difficulties of “connection error” that has emerged as a barrier to verifying SIMs using biometric system.
Customer care agents and retailers of operators preferring anonymity told The New Nation that they are frequently suffering network error or sever down problems while initiating to collect finger prints of customers and do verification.
However, Spokesperson and Secretary of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Sarwar Alam on Saturday said they have directed all the operators to ensure uninterrupted connections with server so mobile phone subscribers can complete the verification smoothly without any hassle.
BTRC on Wednesday said that a total 970 million SIMs were registered against the total number of active mobile connections of 131.9 million in the country.
Earlier, State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim cautioned, “As per the rescheduled timeframe, verification of SIM using biometric method will be continued till 12 midnight of May 31, but the SIMs remaining unverified will be deactivated from the ‘zero hour’ on the day.”
The state minister would talk about the issue, current scenario and future measures regarding biometric tomorrow at a press conference at her ministry office.
Meanwhile, the telecom regulator has launched its short-code “2872” to receive complaint from subscribers. BTRC will take complaints through the short-code from 10am to 5pm on five working days of the week.
The government has started the process on December 16 last year which was scheduled to end on April 30, but the time was extended to May 31 following the request of the operators. The biometric verification mainly focused on ensuring the actual ownership of SIMs.
Although three days are to go to expire the deadline of biometric SIM registration, over 30 million SIMs still remained unverified, according to data available with the regulator.
As a last-ditch effort, the cellular phone operators have already announced big amounts of cash and prizes to ensure biometric verification of maximum number of SIMs.
But, at the final moments, subscribers are facing difficulties of “connection error” that has emerged as a barrier to verifying SIMs using biometric system.
Customer care agents and retailers of operators preferring anonymity told The New Nation that they are frequently suffering network error or sever down problems while initiating to collect finger prints of customers and do verification.
However, Spokesperson and Secretary of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Sarwar Alam on Saturday said they have directed all the operators to ensure uninterrupted connections with server so mobile phone subscribers can complete the verification smoothly without any hassle.
BTRC on Wednesday said that a total 970 million SIMs were registered against the total number of active mobile connections of 131.9 million in the country.
Earlier, State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim cautioned, “As per the rescheduled timeframe, verification of SIM using biometric method will be continued till 12 midnight of May 31, but the SIMs remaining unverified will be deactivated from the ‘zero hour’ on the day.”
The state minister would talk about the issue, current scenario and future measures regarding biometric tomorrow at a press conference at her ministry office.
Meanwhile, the telecom regulator has launched its short-code “2872” to receive complaint from subscribers. BTRC will take complaints through the short-code from 10am to 5pm on five working days of the week.
The government has started the process on December 16 last year which was scheduled to end on April 30, but the time was extended to May 31 following the request of the operators. The biometric verification mainly focused on ensuring the actual ownership of SIMs.
