Vodafone Anti-Crime Measures

Fidelis

December 19, 2002
Vodafone launches measures to combat mobile phone crime.

Vodafone Ireland today announced that it is launching a package of measures aimed at reducing mobile phone crime. The new measures will enhance Vodafone’s existing policy of immediately barring SIM cards in all phones reported lost or stolen, disabling any other user from being able to make calls using that customer’s phone credit or charging calls to their account.

The elements of the plan are as follows:

Establishing an Equipment Identity Register (EIR): Vodafone has invested over €500,000 in establishing an EIR. This is a database within the network which contains details of stolen handset serial numbers (IMEI’s). Once a phone is reported stolen, customers can call the helpdesk to request that the handset be permanently denied access on the Vodafone network. This means that if a new Vodafone SIM is inserted, the handset will not work.

SIM Locking to Network: As a consequence of handset subsidies, a large proportion of the handsets currently in the possession of Vodafone customers are ‘SIM locked’ to the Vodafone network. This means that, if stolen, the handset will not work if another operator’s SIM is inserted.

Blacklist sharing across other operators: Vodafone is also connecting to the GSM Association’s Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR). The CEIR is a shared database of blacklisted International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) handset numbers. All five operators in the UK recently joined this system. Membership of the CEIR means that Vodafone handsets will be barred across all participating international networks once a phone has been reported stolen or lost and blacklisted on the customer’s home network.

Paul Donovan, CEO Vodafone Ireland commented “Vodafone takes the issues of customer safety and mobile phone theft and fraud very seriously and we are in the process of introducing initiatives in all of our operating countries to address this problem. In Ireland we are introducing an enhanced set of initiatives immediately, which incorporates system upgrades and improved cross-industry working. We want Vodafone customers to be confident they are buying into a package of security measures when they select our network.”

The new series of measures are immediately active on the Vodafone Ireland network.

seamus

SIM Locking to Network: As a consequence of handset subsidies, a large proportion of the handsets currently in the possession of Vodafone customers are ‘SIM locked’ to the Vodafone network. This means that, if stolen, the handset will not work if another operator’s SIM is inserted.

Unfortunately, anyone in the business of stealing phones knows how to unlock them, so this isn't a solution in itself. And given that O2 don't want to (for whatever reason they've come up with) participate in the CEIR, anyone can steal an 087 mobile and put an 086 SIM in it to sell on. And vice versa. Let's hope O2 see the light quite soon.


/me goes to register the IMEI of his new new GX10. Mmmmm....free picture messaging