A 10-year jail term, 30m/- fine or both awaits mobile phone traders who will attempt to change the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers. The warning was issued yesterday, a few hours before the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) switched off all fake mobile phones in the country.
Addressing reporters in Dar es Salaam of Wednesday, the communications watchdog’s Acting Director General, Mr James Kilaba, cautioned that it was against the law to change the IMEI numbers.
He said that as of Wednesday, 2.9 per cent of people owning fake gadgets and a closely one per cent with duplicate devices were at risk of losing communication. Mr Kilaba said to ensure close monitoring, all mobile phone technicians were supposed to get licences from the authority for maintenance and repair of mobile phones.
He said the move, aimed at controlling mobile phone theft, meant that technicians should record the numbers of all customers who send their gadgets to them for repair.
“All Tanzanians should be aware that from tomorrow (today); no fake mobile phone device will be functioning in the country. We warn those who will attempt to change IMEI numbers that they face the wrath of law,” Mr Kilaba warned.
Giving an analysis of the status of mobile phones ahead of the switch-off today, he said, as the day starts, 96.95 per cent of mobile phone users will be enjoying the services compliments of the awareness programme the authority carried since December, last year.
He attributed the existence of the good number of customers with genuine gadgets to telecom firms’ drive to educate customers and issuing them with genuine handsets - replacing the fake ones, which means that the majority of users will have authentic ones in hand.
TCRA said when it launched the campaign to switch off counterfeit and invalid mobile devices in December, last year, that four per cent of all mobile phone users were using fake mobile phone while 30 per cent owned duplicates.
Meanwhile, mobile phone traders are anxiously waiting for the switch-off, hoping that business will return to normal soon as they have been experiencing poor business since TCRA announced its plan to switch off counterfeit devices.
According to the traders, they were sure sales would pick up after the deadline has elapsed, believing that those with fake ones will come in big numbers to buy new authentic handsets. TCRA announced the decision to switch off counterfeit phones and duplicate devices in December, last year, citing the health, security and economic risks associated with using fake devices.
According to the authority, counterfeit phones emit dangerously high levels of radiation and also contain harmful elements such as lead because they are not tested for compliance with industry safety standards.
Since TCRA launched a new system dubbed Central Equipment Identification Register, which contains a database of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of blacklisted handsets, a number of people have been able to know if their gadgets are counterfeit and invalid ahead of the deadline. The Central Equipment Identification Register system will also help users report stolen phones.
The TCRA Director General insisted the need for mobile phone importers and sellers to ensure that they order standard gadgets that comply with Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) specifications.
He commended the mobile phone companies for the good cooperation, which he said has made it easier to know the number of counterfeit and duplicate ones.
Mr Kilaba explained on a number of challenges, which need joint efforts to address them, including some section of unfaithful traders who have been giving big discounts to customers and selling them fake mobile phones. He described the other challenge as low level of awareness on how to tell or test a genuine phone or a fake one when executing a purchase.
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