Chinese Mobiles
The prices of these swanky mobile phone handsets loaded with t he latest features are attractively low. But we could pay a high price, for these China mobiles, as they are better known, are the new terror tools.
Following the series of bomb blasts across the country, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) zeroed in on these handsets and last month recommended to the Union home ministry and Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to ban them. It’s because these handsets, recovered from some terror suspects, did not have the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number and consequently gave no details of SIM cards used in it. Apparently, terrorists have switched over to such handsets which can be discarded without any hassles and without fear of call transactions being traced.
How exactly does the IMEI number work? Every branded mobile phone comes with a standard 15-digit or 17-digit IMEI number. This number is registered with the GSM service provider once the handset becomes active when a SIM card is inserted. In case the handset is stolen, even if the SIM card is changed, the police can block the handset by using the IMEI number and even retrieve details from recovered handsets. Even CDMA mobile phones have an electronic serial number equivalent to the IMEI number.
Bangalore City Crime Branch (CCB) officials, who often raid outlets selling such handsets, say: “It is very difficult to extract details from such handsets. Though these ‘Chinese mobiles’ are supposed to have genuine IMEI numbers, they are either fake or several phones have the same IMEI number, making it impossible to find out any details.’’ Chinese mobiles made in India
Following the series of bomb blasts across the country, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) zeroed in on these handsets and last month recommended to the Union home ministry and Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to ban them. It’s because these handsets, recovered from some terror suspects, did not have the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number and consequently gave no details of SIM cards used in it. Apparently, terrorists have switched over to such handsets which can be discarded without any hassles and without fear of call transactions being traced.
How exactly does the IMEI number work? Every branded mobile phone comes with a standard 15-digit or 17-digit IMEI number. This number is registered with the GSM service provider once the handset becomes active when a SIM card is inserted. In case the handset is stolen, even if the SIM card is changed, the police can block the handset by using the IMEI number and even retrieve details from recovered handsets. Even CDMA mobile phones have an electronic serial number equivalent to the IMEI number.
Bangalore City Crime Branch (CCB) officials, who often raid outlets selling such handsets, say: “It is very difficult to extract details from such handsets. Though these ‘Chinese mobiles’ are supposed to have genuine IMEI numbers, they are either fake or several phones have the same IMEI number, making it impossible to find out any details.’’ Chinese mobiles made in India
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