Hong Kong lawmaker backs cut to SIM card registration limit per person
Hong Kong lawmaker Chu Lap-wai supports reducing the number of SIM cards a person can register per telecoms operator from 10 to 3, as part of efforts to combat telecoms fraud. He also backs criminalising the use of others' identities to register SIM cards, with possible exemptions.
Hong Kong lawmaker Chu Lap-wai has expressed support for reducing the maximum number of telephone SIM cards an individual can register with each telecoms operator, as the government reviews the city's real-name registration system to combat telecoms fraud.
The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau earlier said it was reviewing the system, including lowering the current cap of 10 SIM cards per person per operator. Chu, a Legislative Council member representing the Election Committee constituency, told RTHK's Yee Ching Sze Fong programme that the existing limit is too high.
Hong Kong has about 31 telecoms providers, including virtual network operators, meaning a person can register over 300 SIM cards under current rules, Chu noted. He said more than 90 per cent of individual users register three or fewer SIM cards per operator, making the proposed reduction to three cards appropriate. Under that cap, a person could still register more than 90 cards across all operators, which he said is sufficient for public use.
The government also proposed creating a new offence to criminalise registering a SIM card in another person's name without reasonable excuse. Chu backed the proposal, saying the law currently does not regulate the lending, renting or selling of registered SIM cards, creating a loophole. However, he suggested the legislation should include exemptions, such as for lending a registered card to a relative visiting Hong Kong, or for legitimate business needs.