14-Dec-2018: Shri Ravishankar Prasad launched a web portal for reporting of stolen mobiles for tracing purposes.

International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is supposed to be an unique identity of a mobile phone device. Generally, a phone with one/two slots of SIM card is programmed with one/two IMEI number as the case may be. IMEI number being programmable, some miscreants do reprogram the IMEI number, which results in cloning of IMEI causing multiple phone devices with same IMEI number. As on date, there are many cases of cloned/duplicated IMEI handsets in the network.

If such IMEI is blocked, a large number of mobile phones will get blocked being handsets with same IMEI causing inconvenience to many genuine customers. Thus, there is a need to eliminate duplicate/fake IMEI mobile phones from the network.

Accordingly, a project called Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system has been undertaken by the DoT for addressing security, theft and other concerns including reprogramming of mobile handsets.

The major objectives of the project include following:

• Blocking of lost/stolen mobile phones across mobile networks thus discouraging theft of mobile phones.
• Facilitate in tracing of such reported lost/stolen mobile phones.
• Prevention of mobile devices with duplicate and fake IMEIs in the network.
• Curtail the use of counterfeit mobile devices.
• Reduced health risks to the users with the control of use of counterfeit mobile phones.
• Improved QoS and reduced call drops with reduction in use of counterfeit mobile devices.