PTA DIRBS Block Felonious Illegal Unregistered Mobile Phones in Pakistan by 20th October 2018

PTA DIRBS Block Felonious Illegal Unregistered Mobile Phones Update:

Millions of illegal mobile Handsets are at the risk of being block by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) after October 20 2018.

It is a part of massive drive against fake (International Mobile Equipment Identity) IMEI throughout the country.

Details of PTA DIRBS Block Felonious Illegal Unregistered Mobile Phones

According to the PTA, illegal mobile Handsets that don’t come with a valid IMEI number will block after the expiry of the deadline.

In this regard, the telecom authority circulating SMS recently, asking people to get their Handsets verify.

If your Handsets possess valid IMEI than it will continue in Pakistan.

And if it possess invalid IMEI than it will block in Pakistan. PTA DIRBS Block Felonious Illegal Unregistered Mobile Phones.

3 Way Procedure to Verify IMEI

• Web Portal: http://dirbs.pta.gov.pk
• Android App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pk.gov.dirbs.dvspublic
• SMS: Send IMEI to 8484 short code (10 Paisas plus tax).

It also directs users to check and match their IMEI numbers with data from PTA by sending an SMS on 8484.

Users can also check their IMEI numbers via PTA Website: http://dirbs.pta.gov.pk

All mobile Handsets having SIM/IMEI functionality operating on Pakistani mobile networks will not face any service interruption nor will be block by DIRBS.

Read Also: PTA Mobile Devices DIRBS System for Stolen and Smuggled Mobile Phones

Any mobile device reflecting non-compliant status after 20th October 2018 will block as per Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)/DIRBS regulations.

Any mobile Handsets obtain/purchase/import after 20th October 2018 must obtain PTA Certificate of Compliance (COC) to technical standards. PTA DIRBS Block Felonious Illegal Unregistered Mobile Phones.

4 Categories of Responses You Should Know About!

There are 4 categories of responses that can be receive by a subscriber inquiring about the status of its IMEI(s) as explain below:

• Compliant Devices are PTA type approved and legally imported in Pakistan.
• Valid Devices are such devices where the IMEI of the mobile device is valid (GSMA approve), however, it is not PTA compliant/approve. To facilitate such users, PTA will auto register all such IMEIs which are observe on the mobile network before 20th October 2018 and their status will be compliant.
• Non-Compliant Devices are such devices where IMEI is either not allocate by GSMA or it is duplicate. To facilitate such users, PTA will auto-pair all such IMEIs which are observe on the mobile network with specific SIMs before 20th October 2018. After this date, those users will be able to use these IMEIs with pair-SIMs- In order to auto pair all the IMEIs relate to this mobile device, users are advise to do any revenue generating activity from their SIM(s), i.e. make any call, send an SMS or use mobile Internet from their SIM(s) before 20th October 2018.
• Blocked Devices indicate that your IMEI is blocked as this IMEI has report stolen earlier.

It is direct that mobile device users should verify their IMEI. PTA DIRBS Block Felonious Illegal Unregistered Mobile Phones.

For this user must send SMS to 8484 before buying/obtaining any Handsets.

Therefore, it is advise to buy only PTA compliant/approve mobile devices. PTA DIRBS Block Felonious Illegal Unregistered Mobile Phones.

For further details: visit PTA Website https://www.pta.gov.pk

Source: Mehran Post

PTA Mobile Devices DIRBS System for Stolen and Smuggled Mobile Phones

PTA Mobile Devices DIRBS System Update:

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) launched a comprehensive initiative to discourage smuggling and theft of mobile devices, by blocking all these illegal handsets operating in the country. PTA Mobile Devices DIRBS System.

The new system is called ‘Device Identification Registration and Blocking System’ (DIRBS). The system uses the distinct IMEI number of each device, along with other parameters, to help in identifying, monitoring and regulating such devices. PTA Mobile Devices DIRBS System.

Also Read: PTA Online Complaint Management Service 

The IMEI of illegal devices will be reported to the cellular companies and other concerned bodies and will be blocked later. The DIRBS was launched on Thursday the 10th May 2018 in collaboration with Central Asian Cellular Forum and the Mobile Industry here at PTA Headquarters Islamabad. PTA Mobile Devices DIRBS System.

Chairman PTA Mr. Mohammad Naveed was the chief guest whereas Mr. Abdul Samad, Member Compliance and Enforcement PTA, gave a very detailed presentation on the benefits and working of the new system launched by PTA to curb the import and use of illegal devices in the country. PTA Mobile Devices DIRBS System.

The Ceremony was also attended by prominent IT and telecom industry experts, CEOs of telecom companies, and media community. Member Compliance & Enforcement answer questions from the media on the new system DIRBS during the event.

The telecom regulator of Pakistan will operate the DIRBS as a ‘Centralized Equipment Identity Register’ to discourage the use of mobile devices that are smuggled or illegally imported. This system will generate different lists, categorizing the legal status and authenticity of all handsets. Each distinct IMEI will be paired with a specific ‘Computerized National Identity Card’ (CNIC) belonging to its registered user, who must be officially connected through a particular cellular network.

Chairman PTA said that:

"The Authority is cognizant of telecom consumers’ needs and is taking number of steps to facilitate them in resolving their issues."

PTA chairman added:

“PTA has always been engaged in facilitating telecom consumers with best telecom services along with due protection of their rights. Chairman further added that the statistics of telecom growth in Pakistan are evident of the satisfaction level of telecom consumers with the quality of telecom services provided to them. He said that today the mobile operators have increased this coverage to over 65% of the population. Broadband subscribers that stood on 1.3 million till 2014 with limited speed offerings today has crossed a milestone of 50 million (2018) with mobile broadband speed crossing 20 Mbs (download) and fixed broadband speed crossing 100 Mbps (download).”

How will DIRBS work?

Once the DIRBS system gets activated by PTA and the database starts adding stolen, smuggled and counterfeit devices IMEI’s, this would render the devices useless and would be unable to connect to local mobile networks. All those reported stolen and smuggled handsets would become blacklisted in PTA’s database and they would stop working.

Not only would this curb imports of mobile devices via illegal channels but also give the users reassurances that the phones they are using are approved by PTA. PTA will also install the required hardware, software and infrastructure for DIRBS to enable the mobile phone producers and network operators to report to PTA and block any illegal device or businesses that deal in stolen devices.
Moreover, DIRBS will provide; updated ‘Black Lists’, ‘Exception Lists’ and ‘Notification Lists’ to the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) at regular intervals. Consequently, the MNOs will use these lists for blocking and unblocking of mobile devices and intimation to the subscribers, wherever required.

This step will enhance the government revenue and benefit the telecom ecosystem. This type of system is already being implemented in other countries which have shown positive outcomes. In Pakistan, we also hope such a system will bring some positive changes in the mobile world.

For more details about DIRBS, click here.

Source: Mehran Post