Hong Kong’s Executive Council has approved the government's proposal of mandating real-name registration for SIM cards. The measure will come into effect in March 2022, local newspaper The Standard reports. The initiative will require individuals seeking to register a new mobile phone number in Hong Kong to provide their real name and personal details.
The legislation is expected to come into force on 1 September, pending approval from the Legislative Council. Users will need to provide their full name, a copy of their identity document and date of birth to telecom companies when registering a new mobile number or extend the use of an old one. Customers under the age of 16 should be endorsed by an “appropriate adult” such as a parent, relative or guardian. Each user will be able to register up to 10 prepay SIM cards, while corporate users will be allowed a maximum of 25 from each operator on the local market.
According to Edward Yau Teng-wah, secretary for commerce and economic development, the new legislation will be implemented in two phases. Under the first phase, operators will have 180 days, starting 1 September, to set up relevant systems to store information of the users registering for the SIM cards. The second phase will start on 1 March 2022, when customers will be required to submit their personal information when registering for a new mobile number. By 23 February 2023, all SIM cards in Hong Kong are expected to be registered with customers’ real names.
