The three-month trial of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system is coming to an end today. As a result, all unregistered mobile phone sets will be closed from Friday (October 1). If it is ‘illegal’, BTRC’s warning message will appear on the phone screen at the beginning of the day.
This text message will say, ‘Set is invalid, disconnected shortly’.
Subrata Roy Maitra, vice-chairman of the telecommunications regulator BTRC, has confirmed that the illegal or unregistered phone sets will automatically become obsolete.
He informed DigiBangla about the process of registration under NEIR system to identify illegal sets, adding that the registration process has been completed taking three issues into account.
He said the sets would be shut down if the customer’s SIM number and IMEI number did not match with NID.
As a result, it will be possible to easily identify the sets that have been GDed after the theft and it is hoped that action will be taken against them.
Meanwhile, despite the message being sent, BTRC has the opportunity to return and take unregistered sets to the seller in the process of closing the set keeping customers in mind. BTRC Commissioner (Spectrum Management) AKM Shahiduzzaman said strict action would be taken against the seller if the illegal set was not returned.
He said that from October 1, if a customer goes to turn on the phone, he will go through a process. If the phone is valid, it will be turned on after a few steps. If the phone is invalid then the message will come when you turn on the network. The buyer will be notified via message that his phone set is not valid. The phone will be switched off in a while. By showing this message to the phone seller, the buyer can change his phone set or get his money back. We will also take legal action, if necessary, in the interest of the buyer if any seller does not change the phone or refund the money. The seller will also understand that these phones can no longer be sold in this way. We want to see the interest of buyers, sellers, producers.
BTRC will take a tough stance in this regard with four objectives to take the country’s mobile industry forward, said Brigadier General Shahidul Alam, Director General of Spectrum Management.
According to the information received, out of the total used handsets in the country till July 30, one crore eight lakh 37 thousand 359 have been registered in the database. Of these, 31 lakh 46 thousand 113 illegal handsets have been identified. 76 lakh 91 thousand 246 handsets have got validity.
Incidentally, the NEIR system was launched on July 1. BTRC launched the system experimentally. At that time, it was said that by June 30, all mobile phone sets on the mobile phone operator’s network will be automatically registered in the NEIR system. To launch the new sets from July 1, you need to register and launch. Illegal sets registered in the country after July 1 will remain open for 3 months for registration. The decision on the sets will be announced after 3 months.
