meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Tech Life

This number has been disconnected

Tech Life

BBC

Tech News, Technology, News

4.3227 Ratings

🗓️ 21 October 2022

⏱️ 24 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Tech Tent explores why millions of SIM cards face being disconnected in Kenya and Ghana as authorities force people to register them. We'll also speak to writer Becky Holmes on why she responds to romance fraudsters and BBC Tech Reporter, Alasdair Keane, visits a cyber security competition where laptops aren't allowed in the room.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello, you're about to listen to a BBC podcast, so I'd like to tell you where you'll find more just like it.

0:05.6

I'm Izzy Lee Poulton, an assistant commissioner for BBC Sounds, which means I'm involved in the whole podcast making process.

0:12.2

Whether that's developing fresh formats or facilitating eye-catching artwork, I helped project manage all the details that make our podcast stand out.

0:19.7

At the BBC, we've got access to storytellers and experts across a huge range of subjects.

0:24.4

It could be psychologists, comedians, celebrities or journalists.

0:28.6

No podcast or day looks the same here.

0:31.6

So no matter what you like, check out BBC Sounds.

0:34.1

There's probably another podcast on there that you're absolutely love.

0:41.0

Hello. sounds. There's probably another podcast on there that you're absolutely love. Hello, welcome to TechTent with me, Zoe Kleinman, where this week we're exploring why

0:45.9

millions of people in Ghana and Kenya face having their phone SIM cards disconnected.

0:51.4

After the authorities there introduced legislation that they have to be linked to a person's

0:55.8

national ID. In some of these countries, subscribers have expressed difficulty in the registration

1:03.4

process. Sometimes the queues are so long and they are very few centres to do this. We'll also be talking to the writer Becky Holmes about why she decided to start replying

1:15.1

to the romance scammers who slid into her DMs.

1:17.9

I started wasting as much of their time as I could.

1:21.1

And the more that I started putting it up onto Twitter, the more traction it got.

1:25.5

And then what was quite interesting is that people who had

1:28.3

actually been a victim of romance fraud started messaging me privately. And the more people that I

1:34.6

spoke to, the more I started to get really sort of angry on their behalf. And then it became, I don't know,

1:40.5

like a bit of a mission really, to try and get more people aware of it. And please leave your laptop at the door.

1:45.7

We've been to the global cybersecurity competition where tech is not allowed in the room.

1:54.6

When you're trying to reach someone on the phone, there's little more annoying than this.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.