New DoT tool ensures no one else uses your lost or stolen phone

By Vasan G.S. • Updated On 8 Jul 2019

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I have had my phones lost or stolen in the past and wished for a way to track it. Worse is the fear that someone elsewhere would be using it. You might have faced a similar situation. Well, now it seems that things could soon change.

The Indian government will soon come up with a tool to find and trace the location of your lost or stolen mobile phones. And by soon, we mean next month, when the essential technology will be unveiled. An official statement from the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) validates the August launch date. The new technology is revealed to work even if the SIM card is removed or the unique code IMEI number is changed.

Apple iPhone lost tracker — Apple’s solution for lost or stolen iDevice tracker (Source: Apple)

A DoT official told PTI –

“C-DoT is ready with the technology. The telecom department will approach the minister for its launch after the Parliament session. It should be launched in the next month, The pilot project (of CEIR) was carried out in Maharashtra,”

Well if you’re wondering, the ongoing Parliament session will continue till July 26.

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The phone tracking project titled “Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR)” began in 2017 with the sole goal to curtail theft and the counterfeit cellphone business. Around Rs. 15 crores is allocated for the project implementation.

Beyond the victim, this would ease the work of law enforcement aka Police department.

DoT mobile phone tracker — Google Find your phone

So, how does it work?

CEIR will act as a central unit that connects the IMEI database of all mobile operators. For those of you don’t know, the IMEI is short for International Mobile Equipment Identity which is a unique numerical identity of every mobile device. Since each phone has its own unique IMEI, it becomes easy to differentiate each device from one another.

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Now, if and when a complaint against a lost or stolen phone is lodged, the network operator will share that particular device’s IMEI as blacklisted to the central database. Thence, other operators will also ban it and the device will not work on any network, even if the SIM card is removed or changed.

What do you think of this new initiative from the Department of Telecom? Let us know in the comments section down below.

Vasan G.S.

An inquisitive mind who spends a big chunk of the day keenly tracking every emerging detail and is responsible for quickly passing on important developments to Smartprix followers. He loves to stay in his bubble scripting his destiny involving amazing technology and people with good character, passion, and brilliance.

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