TAHIR AMIN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Thursday launched Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) to automatically identify substandard, fake and illegally imported mobile phones as well as to register and block non-compliant devices on mobile phone networks.

In line with the Telecom Policy 2015, PTA launched DIRBS in collaboration with 3G Technologies here at PTA headquarters Islamabad.

Chairman PTA Mohammad Naveed was the chief guest while Abdul Samad, Member Compliance and Enforcement PTA, Executive Director 3G Technologies, IT and telecom industry experts, CEOs of telecom companies, and media persons attended the event. The member compliance & enforcement gave a presentation on DIRBS during the event.

The chairman PTA said that the Authority is cognizant of telecom consumers’ needs and is taking number of steps to facilitate them in resolving their issues. Launch of this new service is yet another evidence of PTA’s sincerity towards its vision of protection of telecom consumers and their rights.

He said that this system will be implemented to automatically identify sub-standard, fake and illegally imported mobile phones, and to register and block non-compliant devices on mobile phone networks. This unique system will curb illegal imports, facilitate legitimate device importers, and mobile device users, and improve overall security situation.

The chairman said that PTA has always been engaged in facilitating telecom consumers with best telecom services along with due protection of their rights. He further added that the statistics of telecom growth in Pakistan are evident of the satisfaction level of telecom consumers with the quality of telecom services provided to them. He said that today the mobile operators have increased this coverage to over 65% of the population.

Broadband subscribers that stood on 1.3 million till 2014 with limited speed offerings today has crossed a milestone of 50 million (2018) with mobile broadband speed crossing 20Mbs (download) and fixed broadband speed crossing 100Mbps (download).

It is pertinent to mention here that, through Device Verification System (DVS) telecom consumers can verify authenticity of their mobile devices in line with PTA regulations via SMS to 8484 and to check the status of IMEI log on www.dirbs.pta.gov.pk or download DIRBS android mobile app form Google and Apple play store.

The PTA has established the DIRBS to ensure that non-compliant mobile devices are not imported, sold, marketed or connected with the mobile operators’ networks. The move has been taken in order to protect mobile phone users’ data across the country.

It will further ensure that mobile licensees actively identify such phones on their networks and maintain and update industry-wide database with information about such phones for the benefit of the mobile services sector worldwide. The regulations are notified under the Telecommunications Policy of 2015 on the type approval regime for telecommunications.

The PTA has established DIRBS and prescribes standard operating procedures (SOPs) for its implementation on technical, management and operational matters. Stolen phones, blocked phones and phones with duplicate or non-standard identifiers shall be blocked by mobile network operator (MNO) from use in Pakistan.

The DIRBS installed has the necessary hardware and software to implement the system for analysis. The analyses are capable of identification of non-compliant mobile devices. It will comprise a core analysis system combined with subsystems to support verification of IMEIs by stakeholders, registration of IMEI paired exceptions, and import of various inputs including operator device data dumps, GSMA device database, importer device lists, and stolen device lists. Analysis will be performed to allow for identification and tracking of non-compliant devices in accordance with these regulations.

A device verification system interface will be provided by the PTA to type approval holders and authorized distributors for registration and identification of IMEI displayed on the mobile device to verify whether or not the device is a compliant mobile device issued certification of compliance to technical standards for IMEI devices by the PTA.