Loss of a mobile phone is not only an economic loss but the loss of privacy of the mobile owner. Many conmen in India know how to tamper the IMEI number of stolen mobile phones using third-party applications and IMEI cracking software.
IMEI or International Mobile Equipment Identity Number is a unique 15-digit number used for identifying mobile phones. It is used globally and is useful for distinguishing one smartphone from another.
The Indian government is planning to curb the cases of mobile theft by rolling out a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) that will compromise the IMEI numbers of all the smartphones operating in India.
Once the CEIR has been rolled out, the owner of a stolen smartphone can raise a complaint at the Department of Telecom (DoT) via a helpline number. Upon receiving the complaint, the agency will blacklist the IMEI number, making it impossible for the stolen smartphone to use a SIM card of any carrier.
The move is expected to bring a considerable fall in the number of mobile phone theft cases and thus discourage it altogether.
Another motive behind rolling out a central repository of IMEI numbers is to ease the process of “IMEI-based lawful interception.” It will permanently block the IMEI number thus rendering the smartphone useless.
India isn’t the first country to maintain a database of IMEI numbers. UK, Australia, Egypt, Turkey and Azerbaijan already have a central register of IMEI numbers.
What do you think about the government’s move? Will it help in curbing stolen mobile phone cases in the country? Express your views and keep reading at Fossbytes.com.
