NTA to block grey, unregistered and illegal phones

To manage and regulate the mobile phone devices in the country, NTA moves ahead to purchase central EIR system. They have already started registering for the genuine mobile phones by their IMEI. Now this system will help to block the illegal / unregistered / grey market phones in Nepal. NTA titles the project as MDMS (Mobile device management system).

According to Min Prasad Aryal, the MDMS project will bring the C-EIR system with their own investment of 1 billion NRs. They have floated the tender for project for the Design, Develop, Supply, Installation, Testing, Commissioning and Operation of Mobile Device Management System (MDMS) in Nepal. Some part of the fund will also use for International consulting service from eligible firms. Interested eligible consultants can obtain further information from NTA and apply before 10th of June, 2018. The duration for the implementation of the project for full fledged C-EIR is known to be within a year.

Objectives

The major objectives of MDMS project is:

• identify all active mobile devices on the mobile networks.
• trace illegal devices including non-registered mobile devices;
• to enable the tracking/blocking of a mobile handset that is lost/stolen;
• to encourage the import through the customs office and sale of genuine mobile handsets and minimize the possible grey market.

Also Read: Detailed explanation of the benefits of the EIR system.

With the new system, NTA will block the illegal or unregistered handsets. These handsets then will not work with any telecom operators in Nepal. They will have white, gray and black list of all the mobile phones in the system. White list includes normal or legal phones whereas Gray includes restricted handsets for some reason like lost / stolen. The black list includes the illegal phones that won’t work in the country.They will change the status of some phone identity (IMEI) to black if they don’t find it registered. Also Read  for how to register your phone online.

The new MDMS project will handle all works for mobile phone identity. It will also provide the statistics of smartphone, market share of different phone brands and the percentage share of 4G, 3G, 2G capable phones easily.