<ul><li>Telecommunications companies are opposing the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) proposal to require personal appearance for the registration of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.</li><li>Globe Telecom and Smart Communications argue that mandatory appearance for SIM registration goes against the principle of universal access and poses challenges for people in rural areas who may face difficulties in traveling for face-to-face registration.</li><li>The NTC's proposal is part of a comprehensive review of the current online registration process, which has faced criticism for contributing to text scams.</li><li>While the companies acknowledge the need for validation, they suggest that personal appearance should only be required in cases of discrepancies or technical issues.</li></ul>

Changes to SIM registration opposed

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