phone coops a hell of alot of money in call charges. Are they going to block the millions of sims already out there?, hacking of mobile phone networks would become extremely popular.
That said this is still definetely worth resisting.

The excuse for this is to prevent drug dealers and such like from using "pay as you throw" phones for one off deals, thus avoiding detection. However, we all know it's just an excuse so the gov't can keep tabs on us.

This will also increase crime, as criminals won't register with a passport, they will merely steal a phone from a tax paying citizen (or peaceful activist), pushing insurance through the roof to feed the capitalist system.

Result:

Gov't, corporations and criminals (no difference between these 3) get richer
Citizens get poorer and more oppressed

Fuck the system!!!!!

there is nothing to stop a professional terrorist getting false documents. or getting an offshore sim card.
this won't work.
its crap. like most kneejerk legislation.
but it might just placate the tabloid readers. a case of government being seen to be doing something about the "problem".
pathetic.

When I was at school we all used to swap phones all the time meaning that your phone could be 2nd, 3rd, 4th hand etc. This surely just couldn't work?

The moden mobile phone is just a way to read a sim card for billing purposes.

The telephone industry has been lobbying hard to get all phones on contract. Nothing to do with the creeping database state. To do with the fact that pay as you go phones have much tighter margins. If it takes a bit of moral panic among the legislators to get that then the Talk Talk, Carphone, BT, Virgin, Yourcomms and the rest are only too happy to throw in "guidance" that helps the advance of the database state.

The problem with the proposal is that the WTO might not approve. Because the sign up will invariably bind the handset user to a single supplier. Fundamentally it is an anticompetitive practice. Yes, the Government are seeking additional ways to ensure their identity database gives them information. But, increasingly, it is being driven by commercial requirements and not security.

The original claim was the National Database would be for security and all sorts of state services. With this proposal it becomes quite clear that the Niational Identity Register is a commercial project. Just like Equifax and Experian - who sell your details to determine your "credit rating" this step is part of restricting life through excessive choice. You can choose a contract or a pay as you go but you will be registered in different ways. perfect for marketing.

Besides 'Freedom Not fear' and other anti-surveillance movements, is there any planned mobilisation to oppose the Big Brother database and introduction of the Communications Data Bill? The time is now to start planning before it's too late.