BTRC Orders De-Registration of SIMs Exceeding Ten

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has directed mobile operators to immediately “de-register” any SIM cards exceeding ten per individual. While the initial notice had set a deadline in September, it has now been extended to October 30.

According to a BTRC notification, individuals holding 15 SIM cards must reduce the number to comply with the regulation by the new deadline. Customers can check how many SIMs are registered under their name by dialing *16001#. Any SIM exceeding ten can then be de-registered through the relevant mobile operator.

“If implemented, this decision will affect 2.6 million subscribers holding more than ten SIMs, resulting in the deactivation of 6.7 million SIMs,” the commission said.

Previously, in 2017, BTRC had allowed a maximum of 15 SIMs per customer. Eight years later, during a meeting on May 19 of this year, the commission resolved to reduce the maximum number of SIMs per individual. The decision followed a detailed review by the commission.

The BTRC review noted that most users do not actually require such a high number of SIMs. Considering national security, unhealthy competition among operators, and international best practices, the commission concluded that the maximum number of SIMs per individual should be ten.

According to BTRC data from May, Bangladesh has 67.592 million mobile subscribers, with 186.2 million SIMs sold. Of these users, 80.32% hold five or fewer SIMs, 16.32% hold between five and ten SIMs, and 3.45% hold between 11 and 15 SIMs.

Reviewing operator registration records of customers holding 15 SIMs, the commission observed, “Fifty lakh SIMs are sold each month in the country. Examination of registration data shows that some customers are registering two or more SIMs in a single day, which is abnormal. Some unscrupulous retailers store customers’ biometric information and register excess SIMs, posing a threat to personal data privacy and security.”