Almost Banned Chinese Phones get a new life
Posted by boddhayan on May 10, 2009
China Mobile
NewDelhi: Over 2.5 crore owners of cheap handsets, that stood to be banned in India can breathe a sigh of relief – help is on the way.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the organisation representing GSM service operators, said it has developed a software that can embed the code – known as International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) – in these handsets.
The software would meet the requirements of security agencies by helping them trace subscribers if needed.
“These numbers have been obtained from GSMA, the only global body which allocates genuine IMEI numbers to official bodies,” COAI said in a statement.
“We believe that most of these handsets are owned by common men. So, it would be unfair and unjust to disconnect such customers,” COAI director general T.V. Ramachandran said.
DoT had earlier directed the telephone operators to disconnect services to handsets that did not have the IMEI code, raising security issues. The government made the security code compulsory after investigating agencies found that terrorists had been using non-IMEI mobile phones to communicate.
