From: Alex 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Re: Mobile phone contract
Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 14:41:28 +0100

JF wrote:
> In message <3h11n4Feq9paU1@individual.net>, Matti Lamprhey 
>  writes
> 
>> This is absolutely nothing to do with credit checking.  The government
>> wants to be able to identify the ownership of mobile phones, so they've
>> adopted similar policies to the money-laundering ones which the banks
>> have to put us through.  The advantage of a utility bill is that it ties
>> a person's name to an established address very effectively.  I'd give
>> them that rather than a credit card bill every time.
> 
> 
> Virgin supply ready registered work-from-the-box cellphones. A wonderful 
> aid for criminals.

Although it has to be said that criminals could just as easily get a 
mobile phone abroad and roam in the UK.