Steps Taken to Amend Rules Governing the Distribution of SIM Cards
13-Sep-2026.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka has stated that steps are being taken to amend the rules governing the distribution of SIM cards, with the objective of preventing illegal activities carried out using mobile phone SIM cards obtained through improper means.
Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka Bandula Herath made this statement while addressing a special press conference held at the Department of Government Information.
He further stated:
Law enforcement agencies, including the Police, have pointed out that various criminal and illegal activities carried out using SIM cards obtained through improper means have increased significantly over the past two to three years. They had also requested that appropriate action be taken immediately in this regard.
Accordingly, the regulations governing the distribution of SIM cards have been amended and updated. Under the new rules, which are expected to come into force by the end of the current year, persons purchasing new SIM cards will be required to undergo enhanced identity-verification procedures, including the submission of a live photograph.
Following the introduction of this new system, a programme will be implemented to verify the identities of all mobile phone users in the country by 2027.
The new procedure will be implemented in a smooth manner without causing inconvenience to the general public or foreign tourists visiting the country. Its primary objective is to reduce the use of SIM cards for illegal activities in the country.
Approximately 30 million SIM cards are currently in use in the country. At the same time, various complaints have been received from users regarding the quality of telecommunications services. At present, we are functioning primarily on the basis of data provided by the relevant service providers.
However, we currently do not have a dedicated mechanism to independently monitor and directly verify the quality of services with greater accuracy. Steps are being taken to establish a proper mechanism for this purpose in the future, he said.
