‘Globe bolsters security of SIM registration data’

Globe Telecom Inc. on Monday said it has completed major enhancements to its SIM registration channels, fortifying its commitment to customer identity protection initiatives.

Darius Delgado, Head of Globe’s Consumer Mobile Business, said Globe has implemented advanced encryption protocols to bolster the security of data transmitted during the registration process.

This crucial step ensures a secure environment for customers providing personal information, he said.

With this development, Globe is now using live photo capture technology, which prevents the use of stock or pre-existing photos during the registration process.

To counter the submission of fraudulent documents, Globe leverages the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. This system matches text entries on the SIM registration form with the data on the user’s uploaded ID, reducing the likelihood of fake or doctored documents slipping through.

Moreover, Globe has taken proactive measures by limiting the number of ID submission retries. This precautionary step is designed to thwart random or repeated attempts to register with fictitious documents.

“We continue to invest in and enhance our tools to deliver a more secure and effective validation process to proactively deter and detect fraudsters. It’s a continuous journey for us to keep on protecting our customers,” Delgado said.

He added that Globe has undertaken a comprehensive post-validation initiative.

Historically, inflation causes consumer wallets to shrink, making telco services one of the first to be reduced in terms of allocation.

In 2023, Globe saw its profits dwindling by 29 percent to P24.58 billion from P34.61 billion, due to higher depreciation expenses coupled with non-operating charges that fully offset the three-percent increase in revenues.

Globe’s top line stood at P162.33 billion, a new record high, from P157.98 billion as its mobile and corporate data businesses as well as non-telco services posted “robust growth.”

Of the five business segments, fixed line voice posted a 20-percent decline in revenues and home broadband recorded a seven-percent drop. The three others mobile, corporate data, and non-telco services, grew by 5 percent, 7 percent, and 18 percent, respectively.

With an ambitious goal to complete the validation of the remaining 40 million records within the year, the company has already successfully validated 11 million registrations.

The SIM Registration Act, which mandates the registration of all SIMs, aims to shield consumers from illegal activities such as scams, smishing, and other forms of mobile phone and online fraud.

Last month, Globe said it expects its revenues to continue growing by “low to mid-single digit” this year.

Ernest Cu, the company’s president, said on Wednesday Globe has a “more positive” outlook for 2024, “as inflation continues to abate.”