Pakistan may require a fingerprint check to purchase a cell phone

Pakistan is considering requiring a fingerprint check as part of the process of purchasing a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card as a way of more definitively tying mobile phones to their purchasers.

Nigeria implemented a similar system beginning in 2010.

There are several reasons that countries would want to do this, most related to making it easier (or even possible) to investigate crime. Mobile phones are critically important tools in such criminal enterprises as ransoming kidnapping victims and organized robbery. Terrorists depend upon mobile phones both for communication and to detonate explosive devices.

Tele-operators briefed on biometric system (The Nation)

“NADRA being the sole custodian of biometrics of over 96 percent total population of the country, has offered the biometric solution in the wake of Interior Ministry’s grave security concerns over the use of cellular devices in terrorist plots,” the spokesperson said. It should be noted that on December 1, 2012, the Prime Minister, after taking notice of insecure sales mechanism for issuance of SIMs, directed all telecom companies to employ biometric verification for SIMs issuance within two months’ time.

More Efficient ID Management Could Save Indian Telecoms Millions

Aadhaar authentication can help Indian telecom operators save over Rs 1000 crore per year (Telecom Lead)

Mobile operators in the country can save over Rs 1,000 crore every year provided they use Aadhaar authentication to verify identity and address of their subscribers, according to a study by the Unique Identification of Authority of India (UIDAI).

Spending on mobile subscriber verification has been a major issue in India. On average, telecom operators add 10 to 12 million subscribers every month. In 2010, telecom operators said verification norms increased the cost for operators to register new subscribers.

10,000,000,000.00 INR = 193,906,940.43 USD

UPDATE:
Aadhaar for instant cellphone activation (Hindustan Times)


This is where the savings come in. There's a fine for businesses that don't follow the ID verification rules before issuing a mobile phone. But, it seems that even the large size of the fine isn't enough to dissuade the mobile companies from issuing phones even if they have to cut a few ID corners in the process. That points to the fact that a large section of their market can't prove their identity with enough certainty to satisfy current regulations.

The telecom companies don't activate a new mobile connection without verification of the proof of residence and proof of identity documents because of security reasons. It may lead to people not having a proof of residence being denied mobile phone connections.

"The objectives of inclusion and security can be mutually exclusive at times," said a Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) paper on Leveraging Aadhaar in Telecom sector.

It has resulted in improper use of documents to get mobile connections. The Department of Telecom reported that in 2010-11, a penalty of Rs. 700 crore was imposed on telecom operators related to subscriber verification.