Million SIM cards to be given away

By Damaria Senne for Motorola
Johannesburg, 20 Mar 2006

Motorola South Africa will give away one million SIM cards to the "unconnected" during the next year as from May.

The news comes three years after government announced a similar initiative, but the promised millions of SIM cards for the poor never materialised.

Stephen Nolan, Motorola GM for sub-Saharan Africa, says the new initiative aims to lower the cellular entry barrier. Motorola also supplies low-cost handsets in developing countries.

Commenting on the new programme to distribute free SIM cards, Nolan says: "We will work with partners in communities that never dreamt they could get connected."

Motorola has invited potential partners to present proposals on how they could get the million SIM cards into the hands of consumers who need them.

Nolan says mobile operators, retailers, community-based organisations, non-profit organisations, government and other interested parties could play a role in the initiative.

He stresses the need for innovation and says potential partners are not restricted to using Motorola phones.

On the road

The programme to give away SIM cards is part of Motorola`s Motobus road show, an initiative to educate South African communities on the use of mobile phone technology.

The outreach programme also aims to showcase ultra low-cost phones that are part of the Motorola/GSM Association Emerging Markets Programme.

Speaking at the Motobus launch at Regina Mundi in Soweto, Nolan said Motorola would continue to work with operators to lower the cost of handsets in order to facilitate phone connectivity. Noting that SA has approximately 50% mobile phone penetration, he said the key is to make sure the other 50% of SA is also connected.

The Motobus will travel to Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, East and Western Cape.

Government`s plan

In 2003, communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri announced a plan in Parliament to provide disadvantaged South Africans with four million SIM cards over five years. The deal was part of the conditions for the mobile telecoms industry to gain access to the 1800MHz spectrum. The plan also stipulated the mobile industry would provide 250 000 free mobile phones.

Last year, then deputy director general Phakamile Pangwana reported to the communications portfolio committee in Parliament that the distribution plan for free SIM cards should be finalised by the end of May that year. No further news has since emerged about the SIM card project.

The Department of Communications was unable to provide details on the project in response to ITWeb`s questions this week, and suggested that the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) be approached for comment.

ICASA says it will issue a statement by Wednesday this week.