New System EIR To Help Curb Mobile Phone Thefts

11 years, 11 months ago - May 04, 2012

With a view to curb the theft of mobile phones, the mobile phone operators are now equipped with a new system called the Equipment Identity Register (EIR).

EIR reduces the threats of theft of mobiles by enabling the operators to prevent the use of stolen handsets in their own networks.

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) has issued a telecommunication directive on the EIR which came into effect on May 1 to protect mobile phone users.

Presently, when a mobile phone is stolen, the operator can only block the SIM card. However, with the EIR, the stolen phone also will be of no use. Every mobile phone has a unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number and the EIR is a database of IMEI numbers of blacklisted handsets. “When someone reports an IMEI number to his service provider, the person will enter that number in its EIR. Once an IMEI will be on the EIR, the mobile will not work, which means that it will be useless for other persons,” explained an officer from ICTA.

He added, “With this central system, individual network operators share their list of blacklisted IMEI numbers with other network operators that make it almost impossible to use the mobiles with other networks,” stated the officer.

Contacted by phone, CEO of Mahanagar Telephone (Mauritius) Ltd, Sanjay Garg said, “We have already installed the system since November 2011.”

Text by the Independent

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