Providers stand to lose from the IMEI issue

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Mobile phones without IMEI number will be disconnected after this midnight, as per the directive given by the Department of Telecom (DoT) on the behest of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

These non-IMEI mobile phones, which are estimated to be over 20 million in market are expected to make a dent of few hundred crore rupees in telecom operators revenue in the coming month.

“There will be drop of a few hundred crores in the operator’s revenue. A subscriber is expected to spend at least Rs 100 on mobile phone per month. The loss can be estimated based on these figures,” said TV Ramachandrran, resident director, Vodafone Essar, while speaking to media on the sidelines of the open house discussion organized by TRAI on spectrum management.

Ramachandran insisted that there was need to give some more time to the users of non-IMEI mobile phones as they went for low-cost mobile which was available in the market and they could afford it.

“I don’t see that the buyers of such phones are wrong. It was affordable for them and hence they went for it. Most of these buyers will not be even aware of the meaning of IMEI number,” added Ramachandran.

Though phones that do not have IMEI number will fall silent after midnight, they will be again activated once the user gets its phone planted with IMEI number.

Cellular Operators Association of India in alliance with GSM Alliance has started planting IMEI numbers in such phones.

“We have around 1600 centres across country to plant IMEI number in non-IMEI phones. Around 20-25 people are turning daily on these centres for IMEI number,” said TR Dua , newly appointed director general of COAI.