Kenya’s regulator plans database of reissued numbers — Nation Kenya

In Kenya, the Communications Authority plans to create a centralized database of mobile phone numbers that have been deactivated and reissued to new subscribers. It is intended to help banks, fintech companies and other services avoid sending messages meant for previous number owners to unrelated people, Nation Kenya reports.

The database will contain a list of numbers reissued during a specified period. Third-party service providers, including bulk SMS platforms, will be able to check a number’s status before sending subscription-related messages.

Subscriber data protection

The regulator said that checking the database should ensure that messages are sent only to the lawful owner of the number. The initiative is linked to security and privacy risks, as mobile numbers are used for mobile banking, access to online accounts and identity verification through one-time passwords.

After a number changes ownership, banks, savings and credit cooperatives, and fintech companies may send the new user account notifications or password reset messages intended for the previous subscriber. Under the draft rules, Safaricom, Airtel Kenya and other operators will have to submit lists of deactivated and reissued numbers to the centralized system once every three months.

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Number deactivation rules

The proposed rules stipulate that a number will become eligible for deactivation and reissue after three months without activities that generate revenue for the operator. Such activities include calls, SMS, mobile internet use, account top-ups and value-added services.

After that, operators will have to contact the subscriber and provide another three months to restore the number. Thirty days before the end of this period, they must publish lists of numbers subject to deactivation on their websites, in newspapers with nationwide circulation and in other media.

New and reissued numbers will not receive marketing messages by default. Before reassigning a number, operators will also have to unlink and archive the previous owner’s personal data so that it is not accessible to the new subscriber.