The government has made registration of IMEI numbers of all mobile phones mandatory before sale in India on its counterfeit and lost handset blocking portal with effect from January 1, 2023.
according to a notification Dated 26 September, all mobile phones, whether locally made or imported, will be required to be registered and obtain an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identification Number) certificate. Indian counterfeit equipment ban Portal operated by Department of Telecommunications.
“The manufacturer shall register the International Mobile Equipment Identification Number of each mobile phone manufactured in India with the Indian Counterfeit Device Ban Portal of the Government of India with the Department of Telecommunications before the first sale of the mobile phone,” the notification said.
notification is done issued Under the Prevention of Tampering of Mobile Devices Equipment Identification Numbers (Amendment) Rules, 2022.
Each mobile phone comes with a unique 15-digit IMEI number that acts as a unique ID of the device.
There are concerns over the inability to track a lost mobile phone due to the presence of counterfeit devices with the same IMEI on telecom networks.
government has started Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) Project to block and trace lost or stolen mobile phones and added the Indian Counterfeit Device Ban (ICDR) system to curb the spread of such handsets.
At present, only the facility to block stolen or lost mobile is available on the portal.
The CEIR project is working to address the issue of lost mobile phones by also addressing the issue of counterfeit devices.
With the new notification, IMEI numbers of imported devices will need to be registered on the ICDR system, and it will be mandatory to obtain IMEI certificate for import of mobile devices through various customs ports.
“The International Mobile Equipment Identification Number of a mobile phone imported into India for sale, testing, research or any other purpose shall be registered by the importer with the Indian Counterfeit Device Ban Portal of the Government of India in the Department of Telecommunications before import. of the phone,” the notification said.
The ICDR system is operational from January 28, 2020. It can be accessed through a web portal for registration and generation of IMEI certificates without any charges.
The new system has replaced the old IMEI cloning and duplication restriction system, which was operated and maintained by the Mobile Standards Alliance of India (MSAI) – a private body.
MSAI is no longer authorized to register, manufacture or issue IMEI certificates and the government directly operates the system.
