Checkin.com brings biometric authentication to multinational telco

Checkin.com is to provide its biometric authentication software to multinational telecommunications company Ooredoo in a new agreement.

Ooredoo, which is a Qatari telco that operates in several countries across the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia, will identify new customers using Checkin.com’s technology such as ID scanning and face biometrics.

“The telecommunications industry is facing strong regulatory winds, especially when it comes to identifying users of SIM cards, and seems to be ready to embrace the possibilities offered by biometry and face recognition to improve the experience of their users,” says Michelle Roswall, head of sales at Checkin.com Group.

The cooperation between the two companies aims to accelerate customer onboarding by reducing friction in the registration process; to ensure regulatory compliance by meeting international and local regulations related to identity verification and SIM card registration; and enhance fraud prevention using AI-driven biometric authentication to prevent identity fraud and unauthorized SIM usage.

Essa Haider, CTO of Ooredoo Kuwait, commented: “By leveraging cutting-edge technology, we aim to enable seamless onboarding processes that accommodate a wide range of passports and identification methods from around the world.”

A global telecoms and biometrics trend

The collaboration between Ooredoo and Checkin.com Group is part of a growing trend. Telecoms worldwide are requiring biometric verification of clients. Countries including Indonesia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Cameroon, Russia and Pakistan are turning to biometric SIM card registration as a response to the rise in mobile phone fraud.

In Chile this week the Telecommunications Undersecretary (Subtel) announced that all telecommunications services are to use biometrics for user procedures, in order to protect consumers from scams and offer greater security.

Identity verification must be carried out through fingerprints, face biometric, or the user’s electronic signature, Subtel stated, to guarantee that whoever is carrying out the procedure is the account holder. Companies are obliged to guarantee to protect users’ personal information.

Claudio Araya, Telecommunications Undersecretary, said: “From now on, all contracting of telecommunications services must be carried out using these identity verification parameters, ensuring that the person requesting these services is effectively the holder of each account.”

America Digital points to the estimation that 15 to 20 percent of fraud cases in the telecommunications sector in Latin America are related to identity theft, which is closely linked to the increase in digital transactions and the accessibility of personal data.

At the 10th America Digital Latin America Congress of AI, Business and Technology 2025, Sovos is inviting attendees to learn more about its biometric solutions as the adoption of data protection laws and specific regulations aimed at mitigating fraud presents companies with the challenge of implementing biometric technology. Sovos bought TOC Biometrics back in 2022 giving it capabilities that can be used in customer onboarding.

In India the Prime Minister’s Office has reportedly directed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to begin requiring Aadhaar-based biometric verification for all new SIM card activations. The measure, similar to the above, is aimed at preventing fraudulent activities such as financial scams and other criminal acts.

The updated guidelines now require mandatory Aadhaar biometric authentication to obtain a new SIM card. The directive comes from a recent sector review where the use of unverified SIM cards in enabling cybercrimes was reported, according to Guwahati Plus.

In Thailand the board of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has reportedly approved draft legislation requiring telcos to add biometrics to their SIM card registration processes, according to a report in The Bangkok Post (via Developing Telecoms).

NBTC commissioner Pol Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn said mobile operators will have 180 days to provide biometric systems for their new SIM card registrations once the new rules are enacted. While the NBTC did not specify what kind of biometrics should be used, the thinking is that face biometrics is the most likely since Thai banks already use this biometric for mobile banking apps, which the NBTC seeks to emulate for SIM card registrations.

The new rules would update 2019 rules for SIM card registration systems while they are also intended to combat online fraud, scams and fraudulent SIM card registrations that use fake, outdated or edited photos. The new rules are yet to be finalized and the NBTC is currently still discussing the exact details of the measures.

Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  identity verification  |  KYC  |  SIM card registration  |  telecom