RICA ‚ two days to go

With two days to go until the RICA deadline, consumers all around South Africa are asked to RICA not only the cellular SIMs but also there data SIMs, advises Vodacom.

With only two days left until the RICA deadline of 30 June it’s important that all your SIMs are registered and not just the one in your cell phone. Come 1 July, SIMs that have not been registered will be locked, including the data SIM in your computer modem that is keeping you connected to the internet.

Vodacom customers are reminded that all devices that use a SIM will be affected, even those that may not be obvious. For example, home alarm systems use SIMs to communicate with security companies and electronic gates at some complexes use SIM technology to contact residents on their cell phones to alert them to visitors.

Municipalities and local businesses are also reminded to make sure that all SIM card operated machines, such as tracking devices, are registered. Municipalities have been advised to register all the SIMs in pre-paid electricity meters. Businesses that use handheld point-of-sales devices, such as restaurants and petrol stations, have also been alerted that they will need to register each of the SIMs in these devices to avoid any disruptions to their business.

‚The actual registering process takes only a couple of minutes to complete and with over 170 000 Vodacom RICA agents in convenient locations across South Africa, there is no reason not to register before the 30 June,‚ said Portia Maurice, Vodacom’s Chief Officer: Corporate Affairs. Contract customers who haven’t registered will still remain liable to pay their contract, even if the SIM is locked.

To find out if your SIMs are registered you can sms the word RICA to 31050 (free from your Vodacom SIM). Make sure that you are smsing the word RICA from the SIM in question.

For any Vodacom customers who haven’t yet registered all you need to do is to take your SIMs to one of the Vodacom RICA agents along with your green coded ID book and a recent proof of address (e.g. utility bill). If you live in an informal settlement you can provide a letter and/or affidavit from a school, church or retail store where you receive your post (this letter must be on an official letterhead or have the stamp of the school, church or retail store).

In preparation for the last minute RICA rush Vodacom has made special provisions like setting up registration centres in schools, townships and taxi ranks. The centres in the taxi ranks and townships are open from 10 am ‚ 8 pm. To date Vodacom has approximately one million SIMs on its network that still need to be registered.

For all the information on the RICA documentation and process you can visit: http://help.vodacom.co.za/portal/engine?handler=script&script=template&view=html&context=template&name=main_help_topics&category=Register

* To find out if your you are RICA ready, ready Sean Bacher’s article here: Are you RICA ready?