New Delhi, Dec 5 (KNN) The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has notified that the requirement for registering the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of mobile phones for exports has been suspended.

This move comes as a response to the industry’s request of removing export requirements and extension in timelines for registering IMEIs of locally manufactured phones.

As per the notification released last week, the requirement of registration of IMEIs of mobile phones being manufactured in the country for export is kept in abeyance till further orders.

IMEI is a unique 15-digit code assigned to every mobile phone to identify the device connected to a mobile network. A dual SIM phone will have two unique IMEI numbers.

However, the request to give additional 3 months’ time for the rules to be effective is not accepted and the rule 4 (1) of the prevention of tampering of the Mobile Device Equipment Identification Number (Amendment) Rules, 2022 shall come into force with effect from January 1, 2023.

In a notification on October 27, the department mandated that manufacturers register the IMEI number of all mobile phones manufactured in the country.

The circular also said the standard operating procedure (SOP) or user manual for the same is being prepared and will be finalized after incorporating the industry feedback.

In the circular, it also mentioned that this is part of the development work for the updation of the Indian Counterfeited Device Restriction portal to cater to the requirements of locally manufactured phone IMEI registration.

Link to the notification: Click Here

(KNN BUreau)