Cellphones without IMEI number still work

NEW DELHI, INDIA: More than three months have passed since the barring of services to mobile phones without IMEI number or those with a invalid IMEI number, following a government directive. However, the network of Idea Cellular, Reliance GSM as well as the state-run telecom players BSNL and MTNL still support such phones, at least the one handset without genuine IMEI number that we tried.

While traveling in Uttar Pradesh (East) recently, this correspondent learnt that SIM cards issued by these companies work on some handsets without genuine IMEI number. It was found that mobile phones of Intex Technologies are floating in the market without genuine IMEI numbers.

An owner of a mobile repair center on condition of anonymity helped CIOL in getting one such phone of Intex Technology that came to his shop for repair. The owner informed that BSNL and Idea SIMs work on all such phones. This phone with IMEI number 350077108255310 supported BSNL SIM which was issued in Basti district of Uttar Pradesh. Even during roaming in Delhi, this BSNL SIM received support from MTNL network.

This correspondent, on this clue, tested SIM of other companies on this handset and found that MTNL and Reliance GSM SIM were also working on this handset, and made calls and also sent SMS.

As per a directive from the Department of Telecommunication issued in September 2009, all telecom companies were asked to bar service on mobile phones without genuine IMEI number after November 30. The directive was issued by DoT on instructions of the Home Ministry as the security agencies found problem in tracking cell phones without genuine IMEI number.

CIOL contacted authorities of these companies through e-mail and mailed first eight digit of the mentioned IMEI number. No company except Gaurav Wahi, spokesperson from Reliance Communication got in touch with the correspondent. According to the information collected by him, the IMEI was in the white list of GSMA and hence it was working on the company’s network.

“I have got in touch with one of the persons who looks after IMEI issues and he has informed me that the given number belongs to Intex and was in GSMA’s white list of February 2010. However, I will work more on this to verify if there has been any wrong information passed on to our company,” said Wahi.

When contacted, Mobile Standards Alliance of India, reporting body on IMEI numbers in India, acknowledged that the mentioned IMEI number belongs to TAC on which Intex Technologies has placed its claim but the company was unable to submit no-objection-certificate within 30th November 2009 and has asked for some more time.

However, MSAI tried to shy away from giving any clear answer when specifically asked whether the mentioned IMEI number is genuine or not.

After this we checked the IMEI number by sending short code to 56263 of GSMA for checking IMEI number and in reply got message stating, “IMEI number is not genuine”.