Sri Lanka to Mandate SIM Re-Registration for Older Connections 📈

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved new regulations to re-register subscriber information for mobile SIM cards issued before August 2, 2019. This move, proposed by the President as Minister of Digital Economy, aims to bridge data gaps in the ICT/BPM and telecommunications sectors. • Core Mandate: All SIM cards obtained prior to the 2019-08-02 cutoff must undergo re-registration to ensure service providers have complete and accurate subscriber data. • Security & Legal Rationale: The update addresses significant challenges in judicial proceedings and criminal investigations caused by missing or outdated user information. • New Provisions: • Formal registration protocols for subscribers aged 16–17 years. • Streamlined regulations for issuing SIM cards to foreign nationals visiting Sri Lanka. • Regulatory Context: These amendments update the Subscriber SIM Card Registration Regulations No. 01 of 2019, issued under the Telecommunications Act No. 25 of 1991, which previously only applied to newer connections. _Note: Operational timelines for the re-registration process are expected to be announced by the TRCSL and telecommunication providers following the gazetting of these regulations._