Why has the government made registering mobile phones’ IMEI numbers compulsory?

The govt has built the registration of IMEI quantity of all cellular telephones obligatory ahead of their sale from 1 January 2023. Representational photo/AFP

Black marketing, phone thefts and tampering are rampant in India and this has introduced the Intercontinental Cell Devices Identification (IMEI) range into focus. Now cellular phone manufacturers should sign up the 15-digit selection, which is one of a kind to every handset, with the federal government. Even IMEI numbers of imported phones have to be registered.

What is the IMEI variety?

The IMEI number is utilized to identify a cell device on the community – just about every cell phone has a unique amount. This can be carried out when a consumer can make a phone contact or makes use of the internet on it.

This quantity reveals the place the handset is built and its product amount. It also implies the place of the cell phone.

The number can help in identifying the producer of the mobile phone and obtaining out if it was at any time stolen. A stolen or shed gadget can be tracked working with this range even if the SIM card has been taken out. These figures can also enable in blacklisting gadgets, which will halt them from working.

Cell phones with twin SIM playing cards have two IMEI quantities, just one for each individual SIM.

What do the new principles say?

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has designed it necessary for all cell producers to sign up the IMEI variety of the devices created in India. Each handset should be registered with the Indian Counterfeited Machine Restriction (ICDR) portal starting off 1 January 2023.

“The manufacturer shall sign up the global mobile products id variety of every cellular cell phone made in India with the Indian Counterfeited Product Restriction portal of the Governing administration of India in the Section of Telecommunications prior to the first sale of the cellular cell phone,” the federal government notification study. The notification has been issued underneath the Prevention of Tampering of the Cell Unit Machines Identification Amount (Amendment) Rules, 2022.

Very similar regulations apply for cell telephones imported to India for sale, tests, or any other intent. The registration desires to be done right before the cellular phone is imported into the country. This applies to all imported telephones which includes Samsung and Apple smartphones.

The ICDR procedure has been operational given that 28 January 2020 and can be accessed as a result of a website portal for registration and era of IMEI certificates devoid of any expenses.

Why does the Centre want a report of IMEI figures?

The new policies are to curb the climbing cases of cloning and theft of cellular telephones. India has a Central Products Identity Sign-up, which categorises devices primarily based on the IMEI status in 3 lists – white, grey and black, according to a report in The Indian Specific.

The white list includes mobile phones which are permitted to use although the black a person has IMEI quantities of gadgets which are stolen, misplaced or barred from letting obtain to the community. The grey list has operational figures that are underneath supervision.

What transpires in situation of IMEI tampering?

In 2017, the Union government produced tampering with IMEI numbers a punishable office environment in India which can catch the attention of a jail phrase of up to three several years. “It shall be illegal, if a human being, other than the manufacturer, intentionally gets rid of, obliterates, modifications, or alters special Cell Product Gear Identification Selection,” the DoT stated in a notification back again then.

“The theft and cloning of cell phones have turn into a severe problem. The theft of cell phones is not just a monetary decline but also a threat to personal daily life of the citizens as effectively as nationwide protection. Counterfeit cellular phones in the market place are another problem for DoT. A substantial range of counterfeit cellular telephones are active in our mobile networks with faux IMEI quantities,” a DoT office environment memorandum experienced said then.

Have there been occasions of IMEI-connected crimes?

In June 2020, the Meerut Police uncovered additional than 13,000 Vivo telephones with the identical IMEI amount. There has been a rampant rise in IMEI-connected fraud with phones currently being marketed with faux or replicate numbers.

A telephone that does not have an IMEI range is phony. That’s why it is critical to examine this in advance of buying a new unit.

How to verify the IMEI range?

To check out the IMEI amount, dial *#06# from your cellular phone and it seems on your display. The box in which your telephone arrives also carries the variety.

The ‘About Phone’ tab on the Android mobile phone has his information. On the Iphone, you will come across it in Settings, underneath About.

With inputs from agencies