Egypt NTRA overhauls mobile SIM registration to combat identity theft

The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) in Egypt has announced urgent regulatory measures to overhaul the registration and activation process for mobile SIM cards. This decision follows numerous complaints regarding SIM cards being registered under citizens' identities without their knowledge or actual possession.

As part of these measures, the NTRA has referred the four major mobile operators in Egypt—Vodafone, Orange, WE, and e&—to the Public Prosecution to investigate potential violations of registration controls and data privacy. The authority has also ordered a halt on selling or activating new lines for institutions and government entities to prevent further identity discrepancies.

Existing users whose lines are improperly registered will receive SMS notifications instructing them to visit official branches to sign new contracts in the name of the actual user. Failure to update data within the specified deadline will result in permanent line cancellation. Additionally, mobile companies are being mandated to implement biometric verification via smartphone applications to enhance security and allow citizens to detect unauthorized lines registered in their names.