The latest update from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) says 76,927,923 SIMs have been registered as of April 20, 2023. The number accounts for only 45.79 percent of the total 168,977,773 subscribers nationwide.
So far, Smart has the most registrants with 56.49 percent or 37,455,155 of its total, followed by Globe with 39.12 percent or 33,938,251, and DITO with 36.98 percent or 5,534,517.
At the time of writing, the DICT has denied extending the April 26 SIM registration deadline, which means all unregistered SIM cards will be deactivated after the period. This will render them useless, unable to make voice calls, send text messages, and use other mobile data services.
SIM deactivation will also affect all digital services that rely on a SIM card, including e-wallets like GCash and Maya, social media accounts, and banking accounts. Here’s a rundown of what happens if you fail to register your SIM card.
However, the agency is open to extending the deadline, but they would need a compelling reason to do so. DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said in a radio interview that they will soon meet with the telecommunications companies and other stakeholders, so an extension could happen.
The telcos, Smart, Globe, and DITO, have all requested to extend the deadline for another 120 days, reasoning that subscribers need more time to secure valid IDs, which is needed for SIM registration.
If you have not yet registered your SIMs, do so through these official links:
- SMART/TNT/PLDT Home WiFi: simreg.smart.com.ph
- GLOBE: new.globe.com.ph/simreg
- DITO: https://digital.dito.ph/pto/download/app
For details on how to register your SIM cards, you can read our post here. Check out our SIM Registration process comparison between Smart and Globe to give you an idea of what the telcos are doing to boost registrants.
