Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) has extended the deadline for Korek Telecom subscribers to use their numbers until November 1, giving them an additional month to secure banking accounts and digital services linked to their mobile numbers.
The commission said on Tuesday that the extension followed a request from the Transport and Communications Committee of the Iraqi Parliament and was intended to give subscribers more time to update account information and transfer services associated with their Korek numbers.
The CMC had previously set the end of September as the deadline before beginning the shutdown of Korek’s network exchanges. The new extension is aimed particularly at users whose Korek numbers are used for verification codes, authentication and account recovery, including for banking and other digital platforms.
The commission urged subscribers to add numbers from other licensed operators, Asiacell or Zain Iraq, to applications that allow multiple phone numbers. For services that permit only one registered number, users are advised to replace their Korek number for verification and account recovery while retaining the Korek number where possible.
The CMC also recommended activating alternative recovery methods, including email addresses and authentication applications, before the new deadline.
The commission said November 1 would mark the end of the additional grace period, after which it would proceed with the regulatory and legal measures related to shutting down Korek’s exchanges. It stressed that subscribers should not destroy their SIM cards or surrender their numbers, as the measures are intended to protect users’ access to their accounts and digital services.
The CMC’s decision comes amid broader regulatory action against Korek. The commission has said it is proceeding with measures to halt the company’s operations after terminating its settlement agreement over alleged breaches of contractual obligations.
