The Ministry of Digital Development has published on the portal “Open NLA” a draft amendment to the Rules for Registration of Subscriber Mobile Communication Devices.
As reported by Zakon.kz, the department stated that currently there are illegal schemes for importing mobile phones into the country, including those with duplicate IMEI codes. One such scheme involves the import of counterfeit mobile phones.
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For reference: IMEI is a unique digital code for a device that allows it to be identified.
It has become known that at present, the networks of the country’s mobile companies have about 3.7 million subscriber devices with duplicate IMEI codes in operation.
It is also reported that the state’s losses in terms of potentially foregone taxes and fees amount to 150 billion tenge per year.
Furthermore, duplicate IMEI codes prevent law enforcement agencies from effectively tracing stolen phones.
In connection with this, the ministry has proposed introducing three lists of mobile phones in Kazakhstan:
- Blacklist – a list of subscriber mobile communication devices not included in the database of identification codes for subscriber mobile communication devices;
- Whitelist – a list of subscriber mobile communication devices whose information has been successfully verified in the IS MIU and included in the database of identification codes for subscriber mobile communication devices;
- Grey list – a list of subscriber mobile communication devices not entered into the white and black lists, which are temporarily included in the database of identification codes for subscriber mobile communication devices.
It is reported that a subscriber can remain on the grey list for up to 30 days. If they fail to take action, they will be placed on the blacklist of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA).
“The mobile operator, from the moment of receiving the said notification, informs the owner of the subscriber mobile communication device about the prohibition of providing mobile communication services on such a subscriber number, indicating the grounds for the prohibition”, the statement says.