Egypt orders mass verification of Mobile SIM data, targeting 19 M lines in first phase

CAIRO – 12 August 2026: Egypt's four mobile network operators have launched a nationwide campaign to verify subscriber identity data, sending text messages to millions of customers warning that their lines have been suspended and instructing them to visit a company branch to restore service.

The messages tell recipients that their line has been deactivated due to incomplete registration data and ask them to confirm and update their details in person before service can resume. 

According to sources familiar with the matter cited by the Egyptian news outlet Masraway, the initial wave of messages covers approximately 19 million SIM cards across the four operators active in the Egyptian market — a fraction of the roughly 127 million mobile lines currently registered nationwide. The verification drive is expected to proceed in stages, eventually extending to the remaining lines.

The goal, sources say, is to ensure that each line's registered owner matches the person actually holding and using it — a mismatch that has become a significant regulatory concern in recent months.

The campaign comes as Egypt's National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has referred all four mobile operators to the Public Prosecution over complaints involving SIM cards registered under individuals' names without their knowledge or consent — a practice that has reportedly enabled fraud and unauthorized account creation using stolen identity data.

In response, the NTRA has rolled out a package of emergency regulatory measures aimed at tightening SIM registration procedures. Chief among them is a requirement that operators notify holders of older, previously registered lines that they must visit a branch in person and sign new contracts confirming their identity as the legitimate holder. Operators have also been instructed to take further action against any lines whose data remains unverified or incomplete.

Customers who receive a suspension notice are being asked to bring valid identification to their operator's branch to confirm their details and reactivate service. The rollout is expected to continue over the coming weeks as additional batches of lines are reviewed.