Canceling stolen phones
New provisions came into force under the Telecommunications Law on January 1, 2005, that obliged mobile phone operators to block stolen cell phones and to pass on the information identifying those phones to the other operators.
Before then operators only blocked the SIM (subscriber identity module) card, which made it impossible to make calls on the owner's account. However, the stolen phone itself could still be used - all one had to do was insert a new SIM card. Blocking the phone's unique IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) number now will render this impossible.
Number's up
In order to start the procedure, the subscriber (both pre- and post-paid) should present an authentication from the police, a document confirming phone ownership (along with the IMEI number), and an ID document. The operator will block the stolen phone within one working day after being notified of the robbery.
The latest figures show that, so far, Polkomtel (the operator of Plus GSM) and Centertel (the operator of Idea) have blocked 253 and 867 mobiles, respectively, while PTC (Era's operator) has cancelled 791 phones.
Hot mobiles
Since the price of a new phone can run into hundreds, and even thousands of złoty, the mobile black market has expanded significantly over the past few years. Police estimates put the number of stolen mobiles at around one million per year. Blocking the IMEI number may be the first step in eradicating the mobile phone black market, but, as the president of The Office of Telecommunications and Post Regulations (URTiP) Witold Graboś pointed out, other measures need to be taken in order to fight those responsible for reprogramming the stolen phones.
Callers' rights
Graboś has presented the Minister of Justice with information about regulations in other EU countries introduced to combat mobile phone theft. As the note states, Great Britain, France and Lithuania have already passed regulations specifically applying to reprogramming of IMEI numbers, while the Czech Republic and Ireland are considering doing so. The URTiP's president also offered the Minister his help in drawing up regulations that would contribute to protecting the rights of the mobile phone owners.
Attorney General Karol Napierski claimed that there is no need to introduce new regulations to punish those manipulating IMEI codes. According to Napierski, the Polish penal code already provides necessary regulations to deal with the situation. Judicial practice will prove how effective these provisions are.
M.P.
Before then operators only blocked the SIM (subscriber identity module) card, which made it impossible to make calls on the owner's account. However, the stolen phone itself could still be used - all one had to do was insert a new SIM card. Blocking the phone's unique IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) number now will render this impossible.
Number's up
In order to start the procedure, the subscriber (both pre- and post-paid) should present an authentication from the police, a document confirming phone ownership (along with the IMEI number), and an ID document. The operator will block the stolen phone within one working day after being notified of the robbery.
The latest figures show that, so far, Polkomtel (the operator of Plus GSM) and Centertel (the operator of Idea) have blocked 253 and 867 mobiles, respectively, while PTC (Era's operator) has cancelled 791 phones.
Hot mobiles
Since the price of a new phone can run into hundreds, and even thousands of złoty, the mobile black market has expanded significantly over the past few years. Police estimates put the number of stolen mobiles at around one million per year. Blocking the IMEI number may be the first step in eradicating the mobile phone black market, but, as the president of The Office of Telecommunications and Post Regulations (URTiP) Witold Graboś pointed out, other measures need to be taken in order to fight those responsible for reprogramming the stolen phones.
Callers' rights
Graboś has presented the Minister of Justice with information about regulations in other EU countries introduced to combat mobile phone theft. As the note states, Great Britain, France and Lithuania have already passed regulations specifically applying to reprogramming of IMEI numbers, while the Czech Republic and Ireland are considering doing so. The URTiP's president also offered the Minister his help in drawing up regulations that would contribute to protecting the rights of the mobile phone owners.
Attorney General Karol Napierski claimed that there is no need to introduce new regulations to punish those manipulating IMEI codes. According to Napierski, the Polish penal code already provides necessary regulations to deal with the situation. Judicial practice will prove how effective these provisions are.
M.P.
