SIM card registration to aid crime fighting in Botswana

In order to more easily track those who use their mobile phones to commit crimes, the Botswana Telecommunication Authority (BTA) is requiring the registration of all prepaid mobile phone SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards beginning in September.

Registration will provide a more complete database of the mobile-phone technology market in Botswana and make it easy for the police to quickly track down anyone using a mobile phone for criminal purposes, said BTA CEO Thari Pheko.

"The registration of SIM cards will prove significant to initiatives aimed at combating cell phone theft in the country," Pheko said.

As part of their license requirements, Botswana's three service providers -- Orange, Mascom and Be Mobile -- will be vested with the responsibility of facilitating their customers' registration, Pheko said.

Customers who do not follow the registration process, he warned, will have their mobile phones disconnected.