Ultimatum: Phone Numbers Registered Without an ID Will be Cut Off Oct 15

Attention: fine people of Beijing! If your phone number isn’t linked to your ID, your phone will be rendered out of service on October 15.

Last month, China's big three telecommunication companies  China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom  announced that all phone numbers will be required to be registered to real names by October 15. Users who do not register within this deadline, will find their service cut off.

You can register your phone number at larger mobile provider centers by taking along your passport.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the stricter policy is aimed at curbing Internet fraud and reducing the number of crimes committed via mobile phones.

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In reality, this is not a new policy. This real-name registration system was implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2010. However, without effective law enforcement, illegal SIM cards were still sold. The ministry expect 95 percent of mobile users to be registered nationwide by the end of 2016.

Photo: baike

Comments

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Your phone service is still suspended if you're only receiving texts/phone calls, but not able to send. The service gal must have failed to do it right.

Basis for this... I never registered one of my number--decided to give it up, since got a better deal with a different number. My unregistered number is still receiving calls and texts (though I've been informed that it will be completely cancelled in November).

You'll most likely have to go back and get somebody to do it again. Sorry.

Doubt wisely; in strange way / To stand inquiring right is not to stray; / To sleep, or run wrong, is. (Donne, Satire III)

Annoyed wrote:

Has anyone else done this and not had their phone connection re-established?

I went to their main branch office today.  It took about 45 minutes for the CM staff member to add my real name and address to my telephone account. 

She gave me the phone back, smiled and said: "OK!"

Silly me, thinking that the problem was actually solved, I didn't feel it necessary to give a 'ghost call' to someone to test it - and after waiting there nearly an hour on my day off, I wanted to get on with my day.

My service is still locked, but can receive texts and phone calls.

Does this take a period of time like 24 hours, or should it have been an instant reconnection?

Cheers

That's really strange, it should be instant especially if you're receiving texts and phone calls. You might have to unfortunately just go back and pester them again...

the Beijinger