Mobile phone manufacturers and importers would now have to compulsorily register the IMEI number of smartphones before the first ever sale or the import of the device on a brand new portal operational from 2020. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has made the announcement through a gazette notification which dated September 26.

HIGHLIGHTS 
DoT had announced through a gazette notification which dated on September 26
15-digit IMEI number was considered as the unique ID of the device
Mobile Standard Alliance of India (MSAI) has been considered as a private body

Currently, the registration of International Mobile Equipment Identity number (IMEI) of all mobile phones were going to be necessary before their sale in India on government's anti-counterfeit and had lost handset blocking portal from January 1, 2023.

The Centre mentioned that “The manufacturer would register the international mobile equipment identity number of every mobile phones which were manufactured in India with the Indian Counterfeited Device Restriction portal of the Government of India within the Department of Telecommunications before the primary sale of the mobile phones.' 

Along with this, the IMEI of the mobile phones which were imported in India for sale, testing, research or the other purpose should also be registered by the importer with the portal before import of mobile phones into the country.

Well, the notification has been issued under the Prevention of Tampering of the Mobile Device Equipment Identification Number Rules, 2022.

Every mobile phones come along with a unique 15-digit IMEI number that was considered as the unique ID of the device. There were issues over inability to trace lost mobile phones due to the presence of counterfeit devices with a similar IMEI on telecommunication network.

Though the government has launched the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) project in order to block and trace lost or stolen mobile phones. It then added Indian Counterfeited Device Restriction (ICDR) system to overcome proliferation of such handsets.

At this point of time, only blocking facilities of stolen or lost mobiles were offered on the portal.

Since January 28, 2020 the ICDR system has become operational. It would be easily accessed through an internet portal for registration and generation of IMEI certificates without even paying any charges. Therefore, it had replaced the previous IMEI cloning and duplication restriction system, that was operated and maintained by the Mobile Standard Alliance of India (MSAI) which has been considered as a private body.

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