The Government today (March 20) said that support service for real-name registration for SIM cards at the 18 designated post offices (see Annex) will continue until March 31. Users of old pre-paid SIM cards (PPS cards) in need of such support service for reactivating their PPS cards which were deactivated for not having completed real-name registration by the registration deadline may visit the designated post offices to complete the registration in a timely manner.
      
     Telecommunications service providers will continue to provide support to their customers by assisting PPS card users in need to complete real-name registration before service activation.
      
     With the full implementation of the real-name registration programme for SIM cards on February 24, 2023, all SIM cards issued and used locally (including SIM service plans and PPS cards) must have their real-name registration completed before activation of service. To date, more than 12 million SIM cards (including SIM service plans and PPS cards) have completed the registration. The real-name registration programme provided a transitional period of around one year since March 2022 to allow sufficient time for users wishing to continue using their existing PPS cards to complete registration with their respective telecommunications service providers. The Government, together with telecommunications service providers and social welfare organisations, provided various forms of support services for users in need during the transitional period.
      
     Apart from visiting the retail outlets of their respective telecommunications service providers, users can also complete real-name registration through the respective electronic registration platforms. Users who have successfully completed registration will receive an SMS notification from their telecommunications service providers. Telecommunications service providers will not call (especially in the form of pre-recorded messages) their users and ask them to provide personal information for completing the registration. They will not ask users to disclose information on their bank accounts, online bank account and password, credit card details, etc. If in doubt, members of the public should contact their respective telecommunications service providers for enquiries and clarification.
      
     The Government reminded members of the public that providing false information and/or false documents under the real-name registration programme may constitute a criminal offence. Any person who knowingly provides another party with a SIM card registered in the name of others to facilitate the commission of an offense may be charged with aiding and abetting the commission of the related offence. The Government urges the public not to defy the law by using PPS cards registered with other people's personal information, or by buying PPS cards that claim to have completed real-name registration from unknown sources in the market. They should report to the Police immediately if they are aware of anyone selling others' identity information and registering PPS cards on one's behalf.
      
     The Government will strengthen relevant public education and continue to undertake a series of monitoring and enforcement actions to ensure the effective implementation of the real-name registration programme.

Ends/Monday, March 20, 2023
Issued at HKT 11:00

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