Stolen mobile phones to be disabled in possible new move

[INNOVATOR]

Frankly, no big deal to me. Phone is stolen, gone la. Now, they come out with this hairbrain idea, with the idea of charging me to disable the phone. Its no use to me if the phone is disabled or not - I'm not getting it back. If they want to charge; charge the phone manufacturers. Afterall, this scheme only benefits them. Preventing stolen phones from being used means people wanting to buy phones, buy new or 2nd hand ones. What the telcos can and may do is charge a fee to disactivate the sim card. This makes a whole lot more sense.>> Stolen mobile phones to be disabled in possible new move> Source ~ The Star> Updated by Media Relations Unit>> Oct 19, KUALA LUMPUR: All stolen or missing handphones will be deactivated and can no longer be used even with new SIM cards by December.>> This is when the mobile phone service operators introduce a new service to curb mobile phone theft, which has escalated to an alarming level. Last year alone, statistics showed that some 100,000 handphones were reported lost but the authorities said the real figure could be much higher.>> ?When the service starts, all stolen or missing handsets will be deactivated and be blocked nationwide. It will subsequently be extended regionally. This means that all missing or stolen handphones can no longer be used, even with new SIM cards,? a source in the telecommunications industry told The Star.>> Nuemera Malaysia, a local company, has been appointed by the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry to establish, operate and manage the entire stolen or missing handphones database. The company will work hand in hand with the telcos to manage the database.>> Its president, Mohd Nor Amin, confirmed that the company had been appointed for the job but declined to provide details.>> However, the source said Nuemera, which has worked with the ministry to implement the system in the past two years, had created a system to enable it to work with the telcos to disable and block such handphones.>> ?The system has already been established. The company is now working with the ministry and MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) to iron out technical issues in introducing the service.?>> The source said MCMC is likely to call Nuemera and all the local telecommunications companies for a meeting soon to discuss the implementation of the service.>> Users who lose their handphones must report to their respective telco to activate the service.>> Once a case is reported, the handphone International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a unique 15-digit code found in each handset, will be deactivated, disabling the handset. Similar details will also be given to Nuemera.>> ?Based on the IMEI (which is recorded by the telcos when phone calls are made), Nuemera will issue an immediate alert to all other local telcos to notify them of the stolen handsets. Similar details would also be dispatched to telcos in neighbouring countries.?>> The source said IMEI is a unique code that can be found in Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) handphone and is used by mobile service providers to identify the validity of the devices.>> An MCMC official said the service is unlikely to be free.>> ?There would be a small fee imposed for the service. However, we have yet to fix the quantum and how the users will be charged.?>

 

[Don Franco]

I used to work for ADAM ( timecell sdn bhd) back in 2000. They had a system that can block all IMEIs.. thus rendering the phone useless to anyone who has stolen it. In a way the phone becomes useless to people who steals handphones or use a phone that does not belong to them. In the long run, it helps reduce or stops handphone theft.

It was easy to block as any new phone user will be registered, with their SIM and IMEI, in the system. So if someone lost their phone, all they have to do is, call the Telco, and report it lost. The telco will then block the SIM and the IMEI. Simple, and free!!

Now they want to give this service to another company to do this and charge for it? Thats to make money, cos they saw the opportunity to make lots and lots of money!!

 

[David Yong]

Yes, they are taking this opportunity to make money. It's not fair to charge a fee. When you lost your handphone, you have lost something valuable (already feel sad) and on top of that you have to pay a fee to deactivate the lost handphone! Doesn't make sense at all.

 

[INNOVATOR]

If they can't use the phones here, they can sell it overseas. Or they can strip it for parts. There is always a way. No doubt, it would reduce the number of phone thefts, though, not drastically.

Now the Samsung phones come with built in homing device. So, for the general; thief; he would not want to get caught. As I said before; prevention would be a small percentage. Phones become out of date and obsolete very fast, so its more difficult to sell. Most of these phones would go to poorer countries, I guess - as new?

 

[affan66]

this is optional right? If you don't want to pay, then don't apply la.

 

[INNOVATOR]

I suppose this is optional, initially. Then, the forces might be, may hire thieves to increase the number of thefts to create awareness. Then, you would voluntarily be forced to pay for this hairbrain idea.

I supposed they may charge RM1 per year or per month. Sounds like the old licensing system, doesn't it?

 

[David Yong]

I think it is not optional and they will charge the moment you call to report a lost phone and apply for a new SIM card. They may bundle the fee into the issuing of new SIM card.