Real name registration for new phone cards to start in March

Hong Kong mobile phone users will have to register new SIM cards using their real names starting from March 1 this year, the government said. 

The move came after the Telecommunications (Registration of SIM Cards) Regulation took effect on September 1 last year to implement the Real-name Registration Programme for SIM Cards.

A government statement on Monday said new SIM cards, including SIM service plan services and pre-paid SIM cards issued from March 1 onwards, will require users to complete real-name registration before activation. 

Meanwhile, existing pre-paid SIM card users are required to complete real-name registration with respective telecommunications operators on or before February 23, 2023.

Prepaid SIM cards without real-name registration will be rendered deactivated after the aforementioned deadline. Existing SIM service plan users are not required to re-register unless they change to another telecommunications operator or subscribe to a new phone number.

Under the new Real-name Registration Programme, each individual user may register no more than 10 pre-paid SIM cards with each telecommunications operator, whereas each corporate user may register up to 25 pre-paid SIM cards with each telecommunications operator.

There is no upper limit on the number of registrable SIM service plan cards.

“Individual users are required to provide their name, date of birth, Hong Kong identity card number and an HKID card copy for registration. Registration of SIM card users aged below 16 requires endorsement by an adult aged 18 or above, and the personal information of that adult will need to be registered at the same time,” the statement wrote.

The statement added that corporate users are required to provide business registration information and designate a responsible person, with the personal information of that person provided.