Real names for phones

All fixed line and mobile phone users in China must provide their real names to their service operators starting this September, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced.

There are currently 1.4 billion phone users in China, including land lines and mobile phones. The real-name registration will help curb the distribution of harmful information as well as stopping fraud, reported China National Radio. The ministry also ruled that users must provide their valid address to register for a new phone.