Maximum 15 SIMs against one NID: BTRC

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) secretary Sarwar Alam on Tuesday said that a user will now be allowed to use maximum 15 SIM cards with his/her national identity (NID) card, reports UNB.

This is a three-time increase from the government's last decision of allowing up to five SIM cards for each user.

Earlier on 12 June 2016, the government decided to allow each consumer to use maximum 20 SIM cards and on 4 August last, they decided to cut the number down to five.

BTRC took the latest decision under the instruction of high level authorities of the government, he said adding that, the BTRC also directed all the chief executives of all mobile phone operators regarding the matter.

The BTRC will close the numbers randomly after 31 December, if anyone found using more than 15 SIM cards with one national identity card, Sarwar told UNB.

Consumers who have more than 15 SIM cards are urged to deactivate their extra contact numbers from the respective customer care offices by themselves within 31 December, he added.

According to the BTRC, as it is not realistic to determine SIM card numbers for corporate consumers, people who have corporate permission to buy SIM or RIM will be out of this purview.

Consumers can find out about the numbers of SIM cards they have against their passport, NID, driving license or birth certificate in two ways-

By dialing *16001# and sending the last four digits of NID number when asked through USSD code or, by sending SMS typing the last four digits of NID number and send it to 16001.