China to implement real-name cell phone system in Sept.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has been coordinating with the three major mobile providers to implement a real-name system requiring that users provide their true identity information when buying pre-paid mobile phone SIM cards starting in September of this year, according to sources from China Mobile.

The system will be launched as early as Sept. 1. Those users who bought cards before that will be asked to provide their identity information.

According to the ministry, the real name registration of mobile phone users will be carried out in two phases. New mobile phone users will be registered using their real names starting in September. The registration of old users will be completed in three years after related laws and regulations are launched.

By People's Daily Online, August 24, 2010, translated by Yan Meng