MTN-Irancell, the second largest mobile phone operator in terms of subscribers, has announced it will deduct credit from its SIM cards that remain unused for three months.
In a press statement released to both customers and media, the company noted that in accordance with the Communications Regulatory Commission, the body overseeing SIM card distribution and sales, “an amount maximally equal to the basic tariff for 20 minutes of call made by postpaid SIM Cards would be deducted from subscribers who do not use their prepaid SIM Cards for a period of three months”.
The bylaw, passed on June 29 by the CRC, directs all mobile subscribers—presumably on any network—to actively use their SIM cards.
“Such deduction(s) are made upon sending a notice to the subscribers and with the aim of compensating the expenses for maintaining communications network,” it adds.
In other words, the cellphone networks can recoup the costs of having dormant telephone lines on their respective networks.
If users fail to respond to the SMS sent from the mobile network operator warning them that their telephone lines have remained dormant, it will take further steps to recoup its costs by disconnecting the telephone line and reentering it into the system for future sale.
“It is also stipulated under this resolution that in case of insufficient airtime, the operator may either suspend or deregister the SIM Card by sending a notification to the subscriber,” the press release noted.
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Iran was established in 2003 under Article 7 of the Law of Scope of Duties and Powers of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.
