Department Of Telecommunications has Issued a Mandate for IMEI number to be Registered with the Government

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has recently ordered and made it mandatory for mobile phone manufacturers to register the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) – the 15-digit numbers that uniquely identify each mobile device. The mandate will be for all handsets made in India as well as for importers, where they have to register the IMEI number of each phone with the government before importing it.

In a gazette notification Monday (September 26) amending the prevention of tampering of the Mobile Device Equipment Identification Number, Rules, 2017, the DoT said, “The manufacturer shall register the international mobile equipment identity number of every mobile phone manufactured in India with the Indian Counterfeited Device Restriction portal of the Government of India in the Department of Telecommunications prior to the first sale of the mobile phone”.

The DoT also added that the IMEI number of mobile phones imported in India for sale, testing, research or “any other purpose” will also have to be registered on the same government portal “prior to the import of the mobile phone into the country”.

What is the IMEI number, and its function?

The IMEI is a unique number that is used to identify a device on a mobile network. It has 15 digits and is like a phone’s unique identity. The number is used to verify the identity of a device when a user uses the Internet or places a call through it. Phones with a dual-SIM option have two IMEI numbers, one for each SIM.

Further, the IMEI number can help network providers track down a device in case it gets stolen or lost.

Communications Ministry had earlier rolled out a Central Equipment Identity Register through which mobile phones are categorized on their IMEI status in three lists – white, grey and black. Mobile phones with IMEI numbers on the white list are permitted for use, while those on the blacklist are the ones that are reported stolen or lost and are not allowed to access the network. Devices with IMEI numbers in the greylist do not conform to standards but are permitted to connect under supervision. The register also allows the DoT to carry out IMEI-based “lawful interception”.

The theft and cloning of mobile phones are a serious problem. The theft of mobile phones is not just a financial loss but also a threat to the personal life of the citizens as well as national security. Based on this earlier in 2017, the government had notified rules to prevent tampering with IMEI numbers of phones by making it a punishable offence which could also attract a jail term.