China Mobiles are going to ban in India

devilinearth

If you are considering buying a cheap Chinese phone, well it is advisable to reconsider your plan. The Chinese mobile handsets that flood the Indian market may be a cause of cheer for consumers but definitely not for the Indian security agencies.

Department of Telecom (DoT) is planning to block cell phones which do not bear the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. (Cheap Chinese phones do not have an IMEI number)


There are approximately 1.5 crore China-made and locally-assembled handsets in use that don’t have IMEI numbers. Even mobile phones that have all zeroes or no zero in their IMEI code will be barred. DoT decided to make this move after security agencies found that the mobile phones used by terrorists in the recent blasts did not have IMEI numbers.


Sales of Chinese handsets constitute about 13 per cent (or Rs 4,000 crore) of the Rs 30,000-crore annual mobile handset market in the country. IMEI numbers can be checked by dialing “*#06#” in any keypad.

Cheap Chinese mobile phones are posing as a security threat to India as unlike proper, branded handsets, these duplicate copies have fake International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. They are also eating into earnings of branded manufacturers and posing as health risk to users.

According to a government source, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which is investigating the recent terrorist attacks that took place in India, fake IMEI numbers make it almost impossible for the law enforcement agencies and investigators to track down suspicious calls.




"SIM card details can be traced from a mobile phone only if it has a valid IMEI number," a government official said, on conditions of anonymity.
"An IMEI number consists of 15-17 digits. Genuine branded phones carry valid IMEI numbers. When the SIM card in a mobile phone gets activated, the IMEI number gets automatically registered with the GSM service provider and it becomes possible to trace a call and find out the caller's identity and the location from where the call was made," the official said.
By using the IMEI number, the security agencies not only can block the handset, but also retrieve call details from the recovered handset.
Even CDMA mobile phones have an electronic serial number equivalent to the IMEI number in GSM mobile phones.




"However, most of the China-make mobile phones carry fake IMEI numbers. In some case, several of such handsets have the same IMEI number. In such cases, it becomes virtually impossible to extract information about the calls made from these mobile phones," the official said.
Another problem, the official said, is that these cheap Chinese imitations are generally sold in gray markets without bills or proper verification made of the buyer and investigators find it a difficult task in identifying the buyers.
In Delhi, these 'Made in China' mobile phones are sold in Palika Bazaar in Connaught Place and Gaffar Market in Karol Bagh.




The official said that these cheap handsets are becoming a security risk and IB has recommended to the Home Ministry and Department of Telecommunications (DOT) to ban the sales of such handsets immediately.
According to the Indian Cellular Association (ICA), these Chinese handsets also lead to over $1 billion of losses every year, borne by mobile manufacturers, distributors and retailers.




"Duplicate handsets are not only being sold in small towns but also in big cities. The prices of these mobile phones are less than the genuine ones and so customers are tempted to buy these, resulting in losses to the branded manufacturers," Pankaj Mahindroo, president, ICA, said.
"However, customers who believe they have got a good deal, are, sadly, mistaken. These Chinese handsets do not do not have proper IMEI numbers that stand for quality and reliability. These mobile phones claim to have features that are actually not present in the handset. They are also generally sold without bill or warranty. So customers end up being duped," Mahindroo said.




Most importantly, Mahindroo said, these mobile phones also pose a health risk as they do not comply with global radiation emission norms.


Yes, what you listed just now is true. Even we were not sure about it, but recently, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) of India recommended to ban the use of Chinese handsets to the Department of Telecommunication (DoT), and it is about to be implemented in India. The Intelligence Department of India is against those Chinese phones just because, some Chinese phones are not equipped with IMEI Numbers and pose serious threat to the national security.

As per an article of International Business Times:

Cheap Chinese mobile phones are posing as a security threat to India as unlike proper, branded handsets, these duplicate copies have fake International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. They are also eating into earnings of branded manufacturers and posing as health risk to users.

Cyber crime experts explains that, Chinese phones comes without Bill and Warranty, and are pirated, without being equipped with IMEI number, which are helpful for tracing mobiles. As these phones are not equipped with IMEI number, they can easily be used by anti-social elements, proving dangerous to the Nation’s security.
According to Sunny Vaghela, a cyber crime expert from Ahmedabad:

People purchase cheap Chinese-make mobile phones but they do not have warranty or authentication. They could prove to be dangerous when in hands of terrorists or anti-social elements.

So, if you are planning to purchase a China based, cheap handset then you must reconsider your plans, as they may be of no use in the near future
To, those who already have a Chinese handset, do not panic, just wait till any such official notification is out by TRAI or DoT.

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ipnet

Thats some correct initiative from Indian Govt.
Atlast we don't have to hear those loud annoying noises in bases and trains.

Yahya

What? Its not possible... They must have IMEI other they wont be detected by Networks..


anyway, let me check some chinese phone 1st..

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