07 August 2006 — (Juba) —  A mobile telephone services provider in Juba has reduced the number of SIM cards for sale saying some sales agents are not following the company’s marketing regulations.

Uganda-based Gemtel’s Sales Manager, Edmund Muhanguzi told Sudan Radio Service in Juba last week that the company will sell SIM cards through sales agents once they meet the regulations set by the company regarding sale of SIM cards. He added that the company is experiencing shortage of SIM cards.

[Edmund Muhangazi]: “We want clear records for security purposes. For example if somebody buys the SIMcards, I want to know who took the SIM cards and what is the size of the SIM cards in case it get lost. So I have to come and replace it. It is not that our capacity is small because we have been given the ten states. Right now we are building towers in the ten states and we still have the capacity to accommodate them”.

The sales manager urged Sudanese to buy SIM cards, which he said are affordable.  Gemtel has sold more than 18,000 SIM cards in the last two months mainly in Juba and Yei.