Vodafone Qatar has deployed Innovatrics’ biometric technology to power a fully remote, multiservice electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) platform, creating what the operator calls a “shared identity layer” for its digital ecosystem. Built with support from system integrator Zentity, the platform enables SIM and eSIM registration, digital wallet onboarding, SIM swaps, ID updates, plan changes, and prepaid-to-postpaid migrations without requiring customers to visit physical stores.
The system was previously used during the FIFA World Cup 2022 to onboard thousands of users needing rapid access to mobile services. Identity verification is completed by scanning an ID card and capturing a selfie, with real-time biometric matching performed in under a minute. Innovatrics’ solution includes passive liveness detection to protect against deepfakes and video injection attacks.
Since deployment, Vodafone Qatar reports reduced dependence on physical branches, faster SIM activation across more than 2,600 distribution points, and improved accessibility for both residents and visitors. The platform now acts as a consolidated digital identity verification backbone for multiple customer services.
Separately, several countries are advancing biometric SIM registration initiatives. Papua New Guinea plans to mandate linking SIM cards with its new SevisPass digital ID from next year, with unlinked SIMs to be deactivated after June 30, 2026. Indonesia is drafting biometric SIM verification rules to tackle large-scale fraud, though privacy concerns have sparked public debate. Meanwhile, in Côte d’Ivoire, Seamfix reports that its BioSmart system enabled MTN to register over 8 million SIM users in just 10 months.
