The Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) has imposed a total fine of 15 million Afghanis on Etisalat, Roshan telecom companies and six SIM card retailers for illegal activities.
Sayed Haris Meer, in charge of evaluation and control branch in ATRA, told reporters in Kabul that Roshan Company was fined five million Afghanis and Etisalat seven million Afgahnis.
Six SIM card retailers were also fined 500,000 Afghanis each, he said, adding the companies were fined because they had activated and sold SIM cards to users without registration. Etisalat was fined more because it was offering pre-activated SIM cards to the market, he said.
Meer said the process to collect unregistered SIM cards was ongoing in all parts of the country and companies or retailers selling or activating telephone services without registration would be punished.
ATRA said it collected 220,000 illegally activated SIM cards since the office opened in 2006.
