September 19, 2006	Tuesday	Sha'aban 25, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 18: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced that the system to block snatched cellular handsets will start functioning from September 30.

PTA Chairman Shahzada Alam while announcing the decision said that PTA was working to finalise the modalities of this system with the help of mobile operators, federal and provincial police departments and the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC).

The system will enable blocking of stolen or snatched mobile handsets through their International Equipment Identity Number (IMEI) which is a unique for each handset.

Equipment Identity Register (EIR), installed at mobile phone companies, will block the handset using IMEI number, once snatching or theft is reported by the consumer.

The consumer will be responsible to provide IMEI number along with SIM number (phone number).

The system would block the handset and it cannot be reused thus discouraging the snatching of mobile phone sets.

The chairman said the PTA had developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which would be handed over to mobile phone operators to streamline the reporting of stolen or snatched cellphones.

He said the PTA was also launching an awareness campaign to educate the telecom users about the reporting of snatched or stolen mobile phones. The reporting procedure has been kept simple, he added.

The chairman said the CPLC and police would be the key players.

The PTA will ensure that all mobile companies update their database and share it with all provinces. He said the PTA was striving to facilitate the telecom sector boom in every possible manner.