The days of anonymous prepaid mobile phones could be over as it has emerged that the UK government plans to make anyone buying a handset provide identification and register their name and address.
Leaks from inside Whitehall say that "a compulsory mobile phone register [will] be unveiled as part of a law which ministers [will] announce next year."
Crime crackdown
By forcing the 40 million users of prepaid phones to reveal their identity, the government hopes to make it harder for criminals to communicate in private.
So far, according to the Sunday Times, several telecoms companies - including Vodafone, which has 72 per cent of its customers on prepaid plans - have taken part in talks with government officials responsible for drafting the law.
Nevertheless, Home Office officials are already warning Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that the resulting database could itself be illegal. We'll have more on the plans as they become public.
Your comments (3) Click to add a new comment
dervheid
October 20th 2008
3. Sick to death of Whacky Jaqui?
Go here:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Sack-Ms-Smith/
And sign up!
NOW!
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dervheid
October 20th 2008
2. Oh goody, yet another piece of the jigsaw puzzle is revealed as we head towards a(n even more) totalitarian state.
@boy11a
Judging by your atrocious spelling and grammar, I do hope that "11a" does not refer to your age. My 10 year old son has a better grasp of English grammar and spelling than you clearly do. You should at least attach a decent (or in your case any) spell checker/dictionary to your browser, and FFS, READ what you've typed prior to hitting the 'submit' button. (Although I suspect that that last piece of advice will make little difference in this case.)
Papers Please, Citizen.
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boy11a
October 19th 2008
1. wot a briliant idea it should help stop the criminal eliment just walking in off the street & buying a pay as you go mobile coloring there affence or affences & throughing it away undetected about time this govement had a good idea why couldn't they have had some about the economy before all the trouble with the bank's @ the city
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