SIM Card Users with More than Three Pre-paid Cards Registered under their Name

Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) since 2005, how many Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and foreigners respectively have more than three pre-paid SIM cards registered under their name; and (b) how many of these pre-paid SIM card users have not topped up their SIM cards at least once in the six-month window as required for their continued use.

Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: As at end-2013, 92% pre-paid SIM card subscribers held three or less cards, while 8% held four or more cards. Of the 8%, 1% were Singaporeans and 7% were non-Singaporeans. For the whole year 2013, an aggregated number of about 2.6 million pre-paid SIM card subscriptions were not topped-up within six months and hence expired. For such expired cards, the mobile operators will recycle the telephone numbers.