Xinhua
Colombo, July 13 (IANS) Sri Lanka has asked mobile phone users to carry a certificate of ownership of the cellphone and barred them from using phones belonging to others. The Sri Lanka Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) has taken this step “to avert irregularities and illegal activities while minimizing threats to national security created by the irresponsible use of telephones”, the government information department said.

Insisting that “no person shall by way of trade, manufacture, import, sell, offer for sale, deal, transfer, hire, lease, demonstrate, maintain or repair any telecommunication apparatus, except under the authority of a license issued by the commission”, the government urged the public to purchase any communication apparatus or service only from the authorised vendors.

“In future all mobile service providers, dealers and sub dealers should check the photograph on the (national) identity card of the subscriber (for) whom the SIM card is to be issued,” the statement said.

“The subscriber who legally possesses the SIM card should not allow any other person to use it. The subscriber who carries a mobile telephone should keep with him a certified copy of the letter issued by the operator for inspection/identification to prove the ownership of the SIM card,” it said.

It said the ministry of defence, public security, law and order was making arrangements to issue directions to armed forces, police and other security institutions to carry out the inspection in this regard at check points under their purview.
Xinhua