Mobile cos to have anti-crime gadgets

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All mobile phone operators in the country will have to establish National Equipment Identity Registry (NEIR) and database within six months to prevent and protect fraudulent and crimes using mobile phone, said officials, reports BSS.
The telecom regulatory body -- Bangladesh Teleco-mmunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) -- has taken the decision to eliminate handset stealing and import of counterfeit set.
In addition, it will also detect telephony and ICT-based fraud, terrorism, corruption, threat, sexual mistreatment, and obnoxious behavior and content as well as threat against national security easily, the officials added.
"We've placed draft interim directives at the BTRC's website for public consultation ... after getting opinion from the people of different works, it will be finanlised," the regulatory body chairman Major General (retd) Zia Ahmed told the news agency.
The operators have been asked for installing the NEIR and database as early as possible at own cost to prevent and protect import of counterfeit handset as well as stealing, Ahmed added.
"The initiative has been taken to protect the interest of mobile phone handset buyers as well as national security," the BTRC chairman said.
Officials said the handset without having genuine International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number will be blocked after introduction of the NEIR and database. The system will also help recover the stolen handset having genuine IMEI number easily, they added.
Official said after introduction of the device, the subscriber identity module (SIM) number and IMEI number will go to the operator's server and database. So, the IMEI number might help the operator to detect the perpetrator if he changes the SIM number.
Every mobile phone handset has an independent 15-digit IMEI number which will never match with another handset. At present, the miscreants are performing different kinds of crimes using mobile phone easily as 30 per cent of imported handsets are counterfeit with fake IMEI number, according to the BTRC. The country has now 86 million mobile phone user.
In the new system, the mobile phone user, who has fake IMEI, will get opportunity to implant genuine IMEI by paying Tk 50. To provide the service among the customer, the operators have to initiate GIIP (Genuine IMEI Implant Programme) at least six months before commencement of the blocking of false IMEI/ESN/MEID number.
The NEIR will be linked to Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR) and Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) which will help detect stolen handset.
Besides, the operators have to conduct media campaign to create awareness in the country of phone safety such as proper registration, behavioral measures, content knowledge, non-functioning of stolen phone or device.