Will photos prevent "trash" SIMs and spam?

All subscribers have to re-register their information at mobile network operators' outlets

T.Duy (from Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi), user of MobiFone wonders whether the submitting subscribers’ photos to limit “trash” SIMs will help prevent “trash” messages from bombarding subscribers.

“Mobile network operators have the right to terminate service if we do not submit the required information. However, I think operators should also be responsible for ensuring no spam is sent to subscribers,” added Duy.

This opinion is commonly shared among the more than 34 million subscribers forced to submit their personal information. Many people complained that such a requirement should have been made at the time of signing up for the service, instead of “coming up with new regulations every day and forcing subscribers to comply,” as put by T.Hang, a Viettel subscriber.

Some mobile subscribers also worry of a potential leak of their personal information as customers calling 1414 to check their personal information often find that many different phone numbers are registered under their names.

Nguyen An shared that three different SIMs are registered under his ID, including two he does not know. When he called 1414 to check, he was told these two SIMs were “trash.”

“Where do “trash” SIMs get my information from? And why cannot mobile network operators distinguish between real and “trash” SIMs?” asked An.

Responding to these queries, representatives of Viettel, MobiFone, and Vinaphone affirmed that subscribers’ personal information would never be leaked because their information would be secure in accordance with the Law on Telecommunications and current regulations. However, this statement went only a little way to satisfy the general mass.

The representatives also shared that mobile network operators wish to receive all subscribers’ co-operation to complete adding information before April 24. They also promise that they will try their best to reduce “trash” SIMs and spam.

VinaPhone currently has over 31 million subscribers, including 10.47 million full-information subscribers, and about 20 million subscribers who need to add more information.

Viettel has 66.5 million subscribers, including 23 million who updated their information.

Meanwhile, the number of MobiFone’s subscribers who have not updated their information is only four million out of over 34.6 million subscribers.