Mexico, in it's eternal wisdom and optimism,
has decided that since narcos, extortionists, and kidnappers use
cell phones in the planning and commission of crimes. . .
it makes perfect sense to mandate that by April 10th
every cell phone in Mexico must be registered
and each registration must contain the phone owners
CURP number as well as their PERSONAL information.
A CURP number is the equivalent of a US Social Security number.
Mexicans are issued their CURP# on their birth certificate.
Foreigners don't have a CURP number but must get issued one
in order to register their phones.
There's a fly in this ointment.
No, there's a whole herd of them.
According to my newspaper, The Guadalajara Reporter,
after this date, users who have not registered their phones
with the
National Registry of Cell Phone Users
—THE WHAT? COME ON!—
may have their service suspended.
There are four cell phone companies here in Mexico
and 83.5 million cell phone users.
Of that 83.5 million phones, only 38 million have been registered.
Those would be the phones belonging to the cartels, no doubt,
as they most assuredly rushed to comply.
The Reporter goes on to say that if the remaining
45.5 million phones do not get registered,
and are subsequently disconnected on April 10th,
it could mean that the service providers would lose
243 million pesos — EVERY DAY.
(Psssst, the numero uno World's Richest Man happens to own
the biggest cell phone company in Mexico.)
This situation is being compared to the effect that the
Swine Flu had on the Mexican economy!
Ooooh, here's a fly. . .The GR goes on to say that CURP#s
have been found to be duplicated!
NO!
And, this could make it difficult for the comparison of data and
might result in the wrong persons having their cell phones
suspended due to systematic inconsistencies.
Ya' think?
Nevertheless, they say, despite these irregularities Article 64
of the Federal Telecommunications Law stipulates that all
cell phones must be registered.
Now for my personal experience regarding complying
with this law.
In my usual fashion, when it comes to burro-cracy,
I wait until the laaaaaasssst minute to make sure that
it MUST be done and no one was 'just kidding'.
I called a friend of mine in the cell phone business:
¡Hola, amigo. Hey what's this about registering our cell phones,
do we really have to?
Si. He said.
Are you sure?
Si, but just bring in your phone and I'll help you do it.
Ok, cool. Thanks. Do I really have to have a CURP#?
Si.
I don't have one.
No problem, you can use mine!!!
I rest my case.
