Almost 90% of China Mobile’s Shanghai users have registered their identity with the carrier ahead of an expected nationwide policy for all mobile accounts to be identified.
Shanghai was the first place on China’s mainland to require detailed account information. About 88% of Shanghai Mobile’s 13 million subscribers have registered their personal information. The carrier is also trying to contact prepaid users to register.
All new users will have to supply personal information, Shanghai Mobile said. Shanghai Mobile said, ‘It (identity registration) is a weapon to fight against spam and we will continue to develop the system, including cooperation with the public security bureau.’
China, which has the world’s most mobile phone users, will launch a policy to try to stop unsolicited advertisements, scams and bank fraud via text messages, experts said.
The policy is waiting for the approval of the State Council, China’s Cabinet, media reported, citing officials of the Guangdong Communications Administration.
English East Day said that since 2006, Shanghai prepaid account users have had to show their identity papers before buying a phone.
But in the rest of China’s mainland prepaid customers don’t have to provide personal details, making it difficult to catch people involved in phone scams, which are becoming increasingly frequent.