The Supervisory Body for Private Investment in Telecommunications (Osiptel) reported that, from 2020 to March 2022, fines of more than S/ 20 million have been imposed on operating companies that incurred in the sale of mobile phone chips on public roads.
Of the S/ 20,565,000 with which companies were sanctioned for incurring in this practice, despite being prohibited, the largest amount corresponds to Telefónica with S/ 6.26 million (30%); followed by Bitel, S/ 5.40 million (26%); Entel, S/ 4.48 million (22%) and Claro with S/ 4.42 million (22%).
To reinforce current regulations, Osiptel proposed a bill that specifies the prohibition of the sale of mobile phone chips on the street or in public, as well as in places that do not have a specific address reported to the regulator.
Before the Commission for the Defense of the Consumer and Regulatory Bodies of Public Services (Codeco) of the Congress of the Republic, this problem was exposed that generates the misuse of personal data and represents a danger to the safety of users.
In this sense, the regulatory body pointed out that for the replacement of chips, in addition to biometric verification and the unique password, companies must require the presentation of the subscriber’s identity document.
“The chip will only be activated four hours after the request is submitted. During that time the company must send two mandatory alerts (text message and email) to the client informing him of the fact“, accurate.
In addition, he indicated that the procedure will be carried out at the company’s service centers and the points set up for service in the provinces, previously reported to Osiptel, and undertakes to maintain the traceability of the sales process, in turn requiring the identification of the advisor who does it.
The companies will also be obliged to provide the subscriber with the information and documentation on the procedures that they question or are unaware of so that they can use them in eventual processes against fraud or illicit appropriation of funds through fraud.
