Tajik communications service agency will create the database of IMEI numbers.  The parliament’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) has endorsed amendments proposed by the government to the country’s law on electrical communications.

A regular sitting of the Majlisi Namoyandagon, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, took place on November 2.

The amendments, in particular, provide for creating the database of IMEI numbers.

The deputy head of the communications service agency, Ms. Adolat Abdurahmonzoda, says this measure is aimed at providing security in the country and blocking stolen mobile phones.

According to her, the amendments also put ban on delivery of devices used for changing IMEI numbers to the country.  

The International Mobile Equipment Identity or IMEI is a number, usually unique, to identify 3GPP (i.e., GSM, UMTS and LTE) and iDEN mobile phones, as well as some satellite phones.  It is usually found printed inside the battery compartment of the phone, but can also be displayed on-screen on most phones by entering *#06# on the dialpad, or alongside other system information in the settings menu on smartphone operating systems.

The IMEI number is used by a GSM network to identify valid devices and therefore can be used for stopping a stolen phone from accessing that network.  For example, if a mobile phone is stolen, the owner can call his or her network provider and instruct them to “blacklist” the phone using its IMEI number.  This renders the phone useless on that network and sometimes other networks too, whether or not the phone's SIM is changed.

The IMEI is only used for identifying the device and has no permanent or semi-permanent relation to the subscriber. Instead, the subscriber is identified by transmission of an IMSI number, which is stored on a SIM card that can (in theory) be transferred to any handset. However, many network and security features are enabled by knowing the current device being used by a subscriber.

Meanwhile, the process to reregister all existing SIM cards has begun in Tajikistan.  All mobile operators in Tajikistan have informed their customers via their websites that they begin re-registering all existing SIM cards on their networks beginning on November 1.  SIM card owners must bring their passport or other official I.D. documentation and their SIM cards to one of their service centers to register their identity in compliance with a government order.

The government passed a resolution requiring all mobile operators in Tajikistan to reregister all SIM cards already in circulation on April 30 this year.