The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), says it will soon roll out mass registration of handsets as one way of curbing digital crime.

According to MACRA Director General, Daudi Suleman, the Central Equipment Identification Registry aims at registering all technological devices that can receive signal.

Suleman said: “A SIM card does not operate on its own, it requires to have a handset, but then the handsets are not identifiable.

“Therefore someone can have 30 SIM cards and do all sought of crazy things, when you block one SIM card they will insert the second another one but the handset still remains the same.”

He said the Authority has decided to embark on the initiative amid rising cases of digital fraud.

“To deter the proliferation of such acts, that’s why the Central Equipment Identification Registry will be rolled out,” he said.

Reacting to the development, Parliament through its Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has welcomed the exercise describing it as a bold step towards arresting digital crimes.

PAC chairperson, Shadric Namalomba, said they are impressed and have encouraged MACRA swiftly implement the initiative.

MACRA says the mass phone registration exercise is part of its five-year strategic plan.