“It is fair on the part of TRA but it is more on the responsibility side of the consumer to register their numbers,” Bhanu Chaddha, senior telecom analyst at research firm International Data Corporation, told Gulf News.

The telecom regulatory body started the campaign in July 2012 in collaboration with the two telecom operators (etisalat and du) to increase mobile subscriber awareness and help protect subscribers’ rights and prevent risks of misuse which could result in civil and criminal cases.

After this, registered owners of the SIMs will have to bear any consequences for misuse of the cards issued in their names.

Mohammad Al Ganem, Director General of the TRA, had said that 3.82 million SIM cards have been cut off and 1.35 million SIM cards suspended after the fifth phase.

“The licensees have followed all the necessary procedures to notify subscribers that they have to visit their licensee and update their data. In case subscribers do not respond by the end of the registration campaign, the licensee will take necessary measures so that the subscribers complete the process of updating their data,” TRA said in an e-mailed statement to Gulf News.