Just who are burner phones for anyway?

Many countries have required ID to establish service for prepaid mobile phone accounts for years. It definitely makes the signup process slower and less convenient for international travelers, but the documentation requirement is not especially burdensome either, since you're mostly likely going to have your passport with you anyway.

The people who will likely suffer the most are those on the fringes of society who aren't carrying foreign passports or government-issued IDs, and, yes, criminals. But not legitimate international travelers.

What about people who are affluent because they save $190 a month by using a Tracfone instead of a iPhone? They might be able to fund an IRA or afford a down payment for a house, or pay off their student loans or something.

The end result of such a ban would be to punish legitimate users (those mentioned in the article, like tourists and the poor). It would do absolutely nothing against criminals who can persuade anyone desperate enough for money to buy a burner in their own name. You want drugs? The price just went up by cash plus a cheap phone.

If the ID requirements are tight enough, I could see people stealing identities to buy phones.