Govt makes registration of IMEI numbers must to stop mobile phone tampering

The Department of Telecom has issued an order requiring all manufacturers to register the IMEI number of devices made in India to the Indian Counterfeit Device Restriction (ICDR) portal in a significant move to stop black marketing, fake IMEI numbers, and tampering with mobile phone devices.

New regulations will take effect on January 1, 2023.

“The manufacturer shall register the international mobile equipment identity number of every mobile phone manufactured in India with the Indian Counterfeited Device Restriction portal of the government in the Department of Telecommunications prior to the first sale of the mobile phone,” the DoT notification states.

The Centre has also mandated the IMEI number of imported mobile phones to be registered with the Indian Counterfeited Device Restriction portal prior to the import of devices into the country.

There have been a number of complaints of fake IMEI numbers or even duplicate IMEI numbers being found in mobile phones.

As per the norms, all the mobile phones being sold in India should have unique IMEI numbers. This rule applies to imported mobile phones of all brands as well.

The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a unique number that is used to identify GSM, WCDMA, and iDEN mobile phones.

Every mobile phone has a unique number, but there are two IMEI numbers in the case of dual SIM mobile phones. The user can check if the mobile phone is genuine or fake by using the IMEI number. It is easier to track the phones using the IMEI numbers if they are stolen.