The original deadline was December 31, however, it has been extended to January 23.

 

In a statement, Abel said Sam Basil, the Minister Responsible for Communications, Information Technology and Energy, had received advice from the National Information and Communications Technology Authority regarding the deadline extension.

 

"Minister Basil and I have considered the issues surrounding the SIM card registration regulation, and I am fully aware of the implications of registration deadline," Abel said.

 

"The attorney general … has advised that the government is further mindful of cases filed by citizens in the National Court, raising the issue of the reasonableness of the registration deadline on citizens in remote and rural areas. 

 

"The government will continue to maintain consultation with communities in remote and rural areas to enact solutions so that people are not inconvenienced.

 

"We must do what we can to ensure people have access to the network around the country, while at the same time ensuring security on the network is enforced.

 

"By registering every phone SIM card in the country, we are working to global standards that prevent the use of mobile phone networks by terrorists and other criminals."

 

Abel also said network providers had been given plenty of time to engage with customers and register them, and that they stood to lose millions of kina in revenue if unregistered phones were cut off.