Imposing regulatory duty on unregistered mobile phones

Decision to impose a regulatory duty on unregistered mobile phones

The government has decided in principle to introduce regulatory duty (RD) on used unregistered mobile phones with minor fines per category.

Block Mobile was activated after payment of RD and payment of fine at a nearby point.

According to a conservative estimate, the import of illegal mobiles into the market costs the national exchequer 1.5 billion annually.

On the other hand, the value of imports of legal mobiles has reached 847.665 million in 2017-18, while the annual import of legal mobiles has gradually decreased to more than 1 billion in case of smuggling due to an increase in customs duty at one time. Was exceeded.

It should be noted that most of the used and improved mobile phones smuggled in the country through various routes will be blocked under the Device Identification, Registration, and Blocking System (DIRBS).

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) launched the DIRBS mechanism in May 2018 to curb the smuggling of substandard and used phones in the country.

Sources told that after November 15, all customers will send the new mobile set to the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number 8484.

Consumers will be told in response whether the set meets regulatory standards or not.

If the set is not up to standard, users will be notified to pay the penalty with regulatory duty within 2 months after which all unregistered mobiles will be usable.

According to PTA, before the inauguration of DIRBS, 160 million standard and non-standard mobile phone sets were active on all networks.

Sources said that the government is working on formulating a regulatory duty on used mobile phones, which will be announced with the approval of the federal cabinet.

He said that 3 different summaries would be sent to the Cabinet in this regard which would be sent by the Ministry of Information and Technology, Commerce, and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

The FBR had announced rates of regulatory duty on imports of new mobile sets and a regulatory duty of Rs 250 on mobiles priced below 60$.

Mobile forces that cost between 60$ and 130$ are subject to 10% of the price in terms of regulatory duty.

Similarly, mobiles costing more than 130$ will be subject to 20% regulatory duty.

According to sources, the regulatory duty on used mobiles will be adjusted keeping in view their cost.

Note that these mobiles will be considered unregistered if they are not registered with the Global System for Mobile Association.

Is your mobile phone smuggled somewhere?

Following the announcement by the federal government to ban mobile phones from entering the country through smuggling, the question has arisen as to how to know whether the used phone is smuggled or not, it is not easy to know under normal circumstances but Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has solved the problem of mobile users.

PTA had introduced Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) in this regard, which would allow you to know if your mobile is registered in Pakistan or not.

After the announcement of this system, initially, the public was not made aware of it, but with the announcement of the federal government, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority became active and a message was sent to millions of mobile users across the country.

The message warns the public to purchase PTA certified mobile SIM devices and send a message to 8484 to find out the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of your mobile, otherwise, your device will expire on October 20. Will become inactive after 2018.

Speaking of IMEI, it is a human-like mobile identity and IMEI is different in every mobile phone around the world and it is issued by the global company GSMA.

Similarly, a mobile phone with more than one SIM has a separate IMEI number for each SIM, while not only the mobile but also any device that can have a SIM has an IMEI number.

However, it is important to mention here that if the IMEI of all mobile phones is different, then why did the PTA need to issue this warning.

In fact, there are some elements that enter fake and identical IMEI numbers on mobile phones in different ways and such mobile phones are used in illegal activities and they are also difficult to track.

On the other hand, there are some IMEIs that have not been taxed, ie your mobile phone has been smuggled from somewhere and the government is not aware of it, however, there is not much concern for those who have such mobile phones. And they have until October 20 to register.

In this regard, PTA has introduced a website, mobile application, and SMS service, through which you can find out if your mobile is compliant, non-compliant, genuine, or smuggled. Is.

You can verify your mobile IMEI number in all three ways mentioned above.

If your IMEI responds with a Compliant or Compliant, it means that your mobile is GSMA and PTA certified and you can use it easily without any problem.

The second answer is that your mobile's IMEI is correct and it is GSMA verified but it is not PTA certified, in such a situation you will receive a call or SMS from your mobile. And after October 20, your mobile will be compliant and you will not have any problem.

The third answer that may come to you may be non-compliant or non-compliant, such a situation may be a little annoying for you.

If you receive such a message, it means that your mobile phone has not been issued by IMEIGSMA or it is fake.

In this case, you have to insert the SIM in your mobile phone that you use regularly because PTA will only connect your mobile phone to the SIM that will be in your mobile phone till October 20. After that, you will not be able to use any other SIM in your mobile.

The last reply you may receive from PTA is that your IMEI is blocked, in which case your mobile is either stolen or a complaint has been lodged and in that case, your mobile will be blocked and you will have to contact PTA to re-open it.

So, to confirm your mobile phone, send IMEI number to 8484 by October 20 or use the website and mobile application.

PTA cancels October 20 deadline for mobile phone verification

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has canceled the October 20 deadline for mobile phone verification following a directive from the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT).

According to PTA officials, the next date for mobile phone verification will be set by the Ministry of Information Technology.

Earlier, the Senate Standing Committee on IT had directed the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority not to switch off mobile phones after October 20.

A meeting was held in the federal capital Islamabad under the chairmanship of Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid, which was attended by PTA Chairman Muhammad Naveed and Director Talib Dogra and other members.

At the beginning of the meeting, Senator Rubina Khalid had said that PTA is going to shut down mobile phones from October 20, there is a serious concern among the people, PTA officials should clarify what is the matter because the message of PTA is not clear. Is.

He said that since the inception of the committee, the IT minister has not come, if he does not come, he will bring a written privilege against him.

Meanwhile, the Chief PTA officials briefed on the issue of shutting down unregistered and smuggled mobile phones from October 20 and said that they are launching a system for this, no mobile phone will be shut down, decide on non-compliant.

The PTA briefed that the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) is being introduced to curb mobile phone smuggling.

He said the system would increase revenue from mobile phone imports to 200 million.

The deadline for mobile phone verification is being extended by two months, PTA officials said.

During the meeting, the Chairman PTA briefed that they are introducing a new system to prevent smuggled and identical IMEI numbers as it is difficult to trace the same IMEI number.

He said that similar IMEI numbers are also, a threat to security and such numbers are creating problems for security agencies.

During the meeting, Senator Rehman Malik asked the PTA officials if they had a forensic audit system of the stolen mobile phone, to which the PTA said that the stolen mobile phone would be traced with IMEI number.

Rehman Malik said that it is the job of service providers to regulate SIM, why PTA is putting it in their account, why a SIM is given by registering 10 times, mobile companies should be given responsibility so that they can be caught. ۔

He said that IMEI can be traced all over the world, how PTA is regulating this number on SIM, PTA is violating international law not its own, we have done illegal work. Can't allow

During the meeting, members of the Ministry of IT said that if a mobile phone comes from outside, the PTA must have a system to check it.

The members of the committee said that SMS is being sent to 8484, people are worried about the move to block mobile phones, PTA is going to become a police station for someone else.

The members of the committee said that the people were not even informed properly, people were sending IMEI numbers to 8484.

He said that in 4 days 8484 SMS are circulating everywhere, charges are also being taken for every message.

During the meeting, the PTA was asked what it could do if a mobile phone was stolen. On which the Chairman PTA said that it is not our job to find the stolen phone, we can turn off such phones.

"Let us make it clear that no mobile phone will be switched off after October 20," the PTA chairman said.

During the meeting, Senator Shibli Faraz said that no matter how much concern you have spread among the people, not a single person's mobile phone should be switched off.

On this occasion, the Senate Standing Committee postponed the deadline of DIRBS and said that mobile phones should not be switched off till the reservations of the committee are removed.

Senator Rubina Khalid said that we will take a complete look at the IMEI verification system, the deadline for verification of mobile phones should not be given to the public without the permission of the committee.

He said that the committee would first discuss the issue in full, then it would be allowed, first, the public would be fully informed about the blocking of mobile phones and representatives of service providers would also be present at the next meeting. Be called

The committee then summoned PTA and the IT Ministry for a month to clarify and summoned Customs Intelligence, FBR and IT Ministry officials.

Mobile registration deadline to be extended

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology has said that Pakistan Telecommunications Authority's (PTA) phone registration program is a comprehensive process, the implementation of which is proving difficult for consumers to understand.

The chairperson of the committee and Senator Rubina Khalid of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) demanded from the concerned body to extend the deadline from October 20 due to the complexities of the process and the difficulties encountered in it.

On the occasion, Senator Miyaan Muhammad Ateeq Sheikh of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan warned that the move was for the benefit of the telecom industry and not for the consumers.

He warned that if the period was not extended, he would request the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take cognizance of the matter.

It should be noted that the issue of mobile registration was not part of the agenda in the committee meeting but the chairperson included it in the discussion due to its complex nature.

In this regard, Senator Rubina Khalid said that this system is proving difficult to understand even for the literate people, so we cannot even estimate how complicated it will be for the illiterate to understand.

Senator Miyaan Ateeq further said that this process should be banned till the Standing Committee is given a full briefing on mobile activation and it should not be implemented till the committee is satisfied.

PTA Acting Chairman Muhammad Naveed told the committee that the Device Identification, Registration, and Blocking System (DIRBS) was being worked on under the policy of the Ministry of IT and its implementation could not be delayed.

The PTA chairman added that the system involved months of work and millions of dollars in design was introduced in May and has been steadily extending its deadline ever since.