7 News Belize

Radio Silence For Unregistered Cell Phones
posted (July 13, 2012)
Today at 6:00 pm - tens of thousands of cell phones and SIM Cards went dead across the country: disconnected for non-registration. Today July 13th was the firm final deadline - and we spoke with both cell phone providers to find out how many phones went out of commission at 6:00 pm.

Here's what they had to say:

Lisa Gonzalez - Marketing Manager, Speednet Communications
"The latest information we have regarding registration is that we have 80% of our customers registered. That is good news for us because it is majority of our customers. We have about 20% more that is still left to come in and update their information, so we are waiting on them to come in."

Daniel Ortiz
At the time that this story airs - their cellnumbers will have been cut off. Am I correct?

Lisa Gonzalez
"The deadline is today. What will happen is that when we close our showrooms today we will run a report and see who is not registered and then those are the ones that will be suspended. So these customers won't be able to send or receive calls and SMS. After they are suspended we will have to open them up again, once you come in and provide your information. Of course we don't want to inconvenience these customers by suspending their account. But if they don't comply by registering we will have to suspend them."

"Our showrooms will be open tomorrow for half day. So if you get suspended tonight you still have the opportunity to come and bring your information that is required from you. But of course from tonight until the morning or whenever you come, your line will be suspended and you won't be able to used your phone."

Daniel Ortiz
"We've extended these deadlines several times; these are customers who are delinquent so to speak."

Lisa Gonzalez
"I wouldn't really want to call our customers delinquent. Maybe some of them have not really had the time to come to register. Some of them are busy, that's why we are extending the opening hours until 6 o' clock. Maybe some of them are not really taking it seriously and they don't think that something will happen. I guess people are all having different situations. I urge everyone to come in and to register their accounts and update everything with us."

Anjali Vasquez, Manager Public Relations - BTL
"We have already communicated with the Government Press Office in saying that we will be complying with what has been mandated. So as of 6 o' clock this evening we will begin the process of disconnection of unregistered numbers."

Daniel Ortiz
"What is your estimate of what part of your customer base has still not registered their numbers?"

Anjali Vasquez
"We are around 45,000 customers, I used the word around because that a dynamic figure. People are still registering at this point and up to 6 o'clock the people who have registered will be taken off the disconnection list. So we will disconnect less than that but that's the number we have at this time."

"We haven't had that much rushing. We opened offices last week Saturday from 8-3 and I have to tell you we didn't have that big of a turn out, we've been blasting customers - reminding them that we've extended opening hours and that we've beefed up staff to ensure that there are people to deal with you efficiently when you come in. We know people don't have time to spend in an office registering, so we try to make it as quick as possible and we haven't have that many in the last couple of weeks. I think we are still at the 45,000."

Daniel Ortiz
"It's a long overdue process, I think that we as a people have this culture where we will stick to the very last moment and they don't think that this threat is real. They don't think that their numbers will be disconnected."

Anjali Vasquez
"Well we are at the 11th hour and as I mentioned, Government mandate in writing is that we disconnect unregistered numbers and we are complying with that law and with that order. What we will do however, a lot of these numbers have credit on them - they have value and also they have made calls and have done texts. So, there is usage, and we know you want to keep your service - maybe for some reason you weren't able to come in and register. Of course, at 6 o' clock today we will comply but then tomorrow morning, we will open at 8 all the way to 3 p.m., for those customers who need to register and reconnect their numbers as soon as possible. So we will be doing that in response to those customers who maybe didn't have a chance, they got disconnected today but they can come in tomorrow and register."

Daniel Ortiz
"So all their data and everything will be preserved until they comply and they are able to get their service reconnected?"

Anjali Vasquez
"They will first have to register - so you come in with your passport or valid ID, you register your number and we will reconnect you and of course the balance that you had at reconnection will be placed back on to your account. So you will end up with your full service once again, but having a registered number this time."

Daniel Ortiz
"I don't mean to be-labor the point but, 45,000 after 2 or 3 extensions is still a large number of people who are still unregistered."

Anjali Vasquez
"That is correct and we will keep reconnecting people. We don't have a timeline just as yet, but at the end of the day, we want our customers to keep their service. So, we will do as much as possible to ensure that."

As you heard in the interview, if you failed to register your phone, you can go into both offices tomorrow and get it done. Once you have, all of your information, and your credit - or whatever value - will be there, because both companies will preserve the accounts until they are reactivated.

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