A few months ago we wondered what the future of Spid and Cie (the electronic identity card) could be, and above all how they could coexist.
Perhaps we are still far from a definitive and satisfactory solution (an app that includes both has been thought of), but in the meantime both tools continue to be used. And, indeed, their possibility of use expands.
In this sense, Spid and Cie will offer a quicker solution to another age-old problem: that of SIM activation and so-called portabilitythat is, maintaining your number when moving from one telephone operator to another.
Ok from Agcom: SIM activation via Spid and Cie
The green light came from Agcom (the Telecommunications Guarantee Authority), which made this known in a press release published on its official website on Wednesday 4 October.
Right from the title, the note speaks of a simplification of the “SIM activation and management procedures”.
The decision to also make SPID and CIE available for these operations was taken during the meeting of the Commission for Infrastructure and Networks which took place on 27 September 2023. And which had the general objective of simplifying the obligations of both operators of telephony and users.
Spid, Cie and Cns at the service of SIMs
In the note from the Authority for Telecommunications Guarantees we read about the tools that can be used for the activation and management of SIMs. Where management means the aforementioned portability, also known by the acronym MNP (moble number portability).
In addition to the Spid and the electronic identity card, for these operations you can also use the Cns, i.e. the National Services Card (the blue card which contains, among other information, the tax code and health card, so to speak).
Streamlined operations
The ability to use these three tools will streamline operations.
All our readers have in mind the steps necessary to activate a new SIM or to move their telephone number from one operator to another. It was necessary, the Agcom press release reminds us, “the video/photographic acquisition of the relevant documents (identity card and tax code) by the operators.”
Which could happen online or through paper documents at the operators’ points of sale.
Times
The note only states that now operators will have to “update the Framework Agreement for the application of the rules relating to the MNP of 9 May 2022 to this effect.”
However, there is no indication on operations, i.e. on the date from which we could also benefit from Spid, Cie and Cns for the activation and management of the SIMs.
Harder swapping (but more complicated operations)
This need to simplify the rules also arises, we imagine, as a partial solution to a previous move, born with the best intentions but destined, in spite of itself, to complicate things a bit.
In fact, on 7 November 2022 the new procedure regarding mobile number portability came into force.
Which made a much more detailed process mandatory for recognizing the recipient, both to change SIM cards and to switch to another operator. For example, only the owner of the number, and not his delegate, could request portability to another operator. The target? Limit the phenomenon of swapping, through which cybercriminals manage to gain possession of the telephone number of the targeted person.
But, in fact, greater scruple corresponded to more bureaucracy and more complex operations. Which now, with the possibility of acting also through Spid and Cie, will become smaller.
SIMs in Italy
The latest Agcom Observatory, from March 2023, let us know that around 107.6 million SIMs are active in Italywhich also includes more than 29 million so-called M2M SIMs, i.e. used for Machine-to-Machine services, such as alarm systems and smart meters.
The number of SIMs in our country (which naturally does not correspond to the number of users, because more and more people own more than one card) is higher than the European average.