March 3, 2005

(China Post via NewsEdge) The new move to bar the selling of prepaid mobile phone cards has caused uproar among Taiwan’s telcos.

Authorities last month imposed a new rule, which requires convenience stores, petrol stations or banks to stop selling prepaid cards starting March 7.

The convenient stores, however, are still allowed to sell top-up prepaid cards.

Under the new rule, these cards will only be available at telco branches and one person will be entitled to only one prepaid phone card. This will cut down the number of outlets drastically from over 3,000 to fewer than 500.

Authorities said that this is a move to curb the rising crimes where potential criminals might take advantage of those phone cards.

However, the Taiwan's Telecommunications Industry Development Association said that the island has apparently become one of the strictest countries in the world in controlling prepaid handphone cards, reported local newspaper DigiTimes.

The association, which includes major players such as Far EasTone Telecommunications, Chunghwa Telecom and Taiwan Cellular, said that there is no clear evidence that the rising crime rates are directly connected with prepaid card services.

© 2005 China Post

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