NEWS: Stolen mobiles 'will be blocked'

Around 80% of mobile phones will be blocked on all five UK networks within
48 hours of being reported stolen in future, industry leaders have pledged.

The pledge is part of a charter aimed at reducing mobile phone crime
launched by the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum (MICAF) and phone
networks.

Home Secretary John Reid welcomed the move and pledged £1.35m in funding for
a specialist national phone crime unit.
Jack Wraith, who chairs the MICAF, said networks had been made
"accountable".

He acknowledged blocking was already commonplace when a phone was stolen but
told BBC News: "Currently there is no accountability on networks where
blocking phones is concerned.

"They are now answerable and they will get named and shamed by us if they
fail to stick to the charter.
"I have every faith that they will do their best to meet the criteria laid
down in the charter."

He said the majority of modern mobile phones could not be re-activated and
were therefore useless once blocked.

more of this at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5221326.stm

--
"Off all the things I lost, I miss my mind the most."
~ Ozzy Osbourne

---

› See More: NEWS: Stolen mobiles 'will be blocked'

"Orite" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Around 80% of mobile phones will be blocked on all five UK networks within
> 48 hours of being reported stolen in future, industry leaders have
> pledged.
>
> The pledge is part of a charter aimed at reducing mobile phone crime
> launched by the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum (MICAF) and phone
> networks.
>
> Home Secretary John Reid welcomed the move and pledged £1.35m in funding
> for a specialist national phone crime unit.
> Jack Wraith, who chairs the MICAF, said networks had been made
> "accountable".
>
> He acknowledged blocking was already commonplace when a phone was stolen
> but told BBC News: "Currently there is no accountability on networks where
> blocking phones is concerned.
>
> "They are now answerable and they will get named and shamed by us if they
> fail to stick to the charter.
> "I have every faith that they will do their best to meet the criteria laid
> down in the charter."
>
> He said the majority of modern mobile phones could not be re-activated and
> were therefore useless once blocked.
>
> more of this at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5221326.stm
>
> --
> "Off all the things I lost, I miss my mind the most."
> ~ Ozzy Osbourne


Yer but all you have to do is change the IME number.
Your average dumb street mugger wont know how to do this, but they generally
sell phones to people higher up in the criminal world that know what they
are doing.

Aosmosis wrote:
>
> Yer but all you have to do is change the IME number.
> Your average dumb street mugger wont know how to do this, but they generally
> sell phones to people higher up in the criminal world that know what they
> are doing.

Either that, or sell them abroad.

Also curious as to what happens with phones bought SIM free with all the
networks. I know Orange won't blacklist anything but a handset bought
from them.. So mine from Expansys must be one of the two in 10 phones
they won't blacklist in 48 hours

hi group.

Am sure there some sort of international organisation on the web where you
can report your mobile stolen. Then they notify operators that have signed
under a scheme where its blocked by their networks.



Am pretty sure I read that from a mobile magazine. I remember it well as I
thought it was a good idea.

"Aosmosis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]

[snip]

> Yer but all you have to do is change the IME number.
> Your average dumb street mugger wont know how to do this,
> but they generally sell phones to people higher up in the
> criminal world that know what they are doing.

Most newer phones have the IMEI hard-coded into a chip, so the only way of
changing it would be to replace that chip. Not a simple matter unless you
have expensive micro-soldering equipment and the expertise to use it.
Somewhat beyond all but seriously organised gangs I would have thought,
your average street kid certainly wouldn't be up to it.

Ivor

"Simon Dobson" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]
> Aosmosis wrote:
> >
> > Yer but all you have to do is change the IME number.
> > Your average dumb street mugger wont know how to do
> > this, but they generally sell phones to people higher
> > up in the criminal world that know what they are doing.
>
> Either that, or sell them abroad.
>
> Also curious as to what happens with phones bought SIM
> free with all the networks. I know Orange won't blacklist
> anything but a handset bought from them.. So mine from
> Expansys must be one of the two in 10 phones they won't
> blacklist in 48 hours

I had this out with Orange several years ago. In the end I got my MP to
write to them and they did agree (I have it in writing) to block my phone
and to consider changing the policy regarding other phones not bought from
them.

If they haven't changed the policy (and it seems that they haven't) try
getting your MP involved, most of them will do anything for a little
publicity. Or maybe the local press would be interested.


Ivor

"Orite" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Around 80% of mobile phones will be blocked on all five UK networks within
> 48 hours of being reported stolen in future, industry leaders have
pledged.
>
> The pledge is part of a charter aimed at reducing mobile phone crime
> launched by the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum (MICAF) and phone
> networks.
>

Whilst I totally applaud any moves to help cut this theft, I'm not entirely
clear on what's new about this. As things stand already, if a handset is
reported lost/stolen, it can be blacklisted on all UK networks within a
timeframe I won't go into.

Or am I missing something blindingly obvious?

Cheers

Jon.

--
Jon Pitts
Email: [email protected] Attachments: [email protected]

"Jon Pitts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]

[snip]

> Whilst I totally applaud any moves to help cut this
> theft, I'm not entirely clear on what's new about this.
> As things stand already, if a handset is reported
> lost/stolen, it can be blacklisted on all UK networks
> within a timeframe I won't go into.
>
> Or am I missing something blindingly obvious?

You're missing the fact that Orange, for one, will not blacklist handsets
they haven't sold. I had to get my MP to write to them before they did it
for me.

Ivor

"Ivor Jones" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Jon Pitts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]
>
> [snip]
>
>> Whilst I totally applaud any moves to help cut this
>> theft, I'm not entirely clear on what's new about this.
>> As things stand already, if a handset is reported
>> lost/stolen, it can be blacklisted on all UK networks
>> within a timeframe I won't go into.
>>
>> Or am I missing something blindingly obvious?
>
> You're missing the fact that Orange, for one, will not blacklist handsets
> they haven't sold. I had to get my MP to write to them before they did it
> for me.
>
> Ivor

Sounds like a grey area; I've had 2 handsets stolen, turns out they caught
the gang in the end. I tried my o2 and vodafone sims in them, couldn't make
calls. Tried an orange one, also never worked.

Perhaps Orange wont block them within the same time-frame as other networks?
I was under the impression it was only t-mobile who weren't really "with it"
when it came to the IMEI blacklist, which is why people flocked to them with
stolen handsets in the last year or 2.

"Ivor Jones" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Aosmosis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]
>
> [snip]
>
>> Yer but all you have to do is change the IME number.
>> Your average dumb street mugger wont know how to do this,
>> but they generally sell phones to people higher up in the
>> criminal world that know what they are doing.
>
> Most newer phones have the IMEI hard-coded into a chip, so the only way of
> changing it would be to replace that chip.

Unfortunately, that is totally incorrect. Even many of the DCT4 Nokias that
had the IMEI changers baffled for a long time can now be done with very
inexpensive equipment.

--
<<< Unlock Your Phone's Potential >>>
<<< www.uselessinfo.org.uk >>>
<<< www.thephonelocker.co.uk >>>
<<< www.gsm-solutions.co.uk >>>

Robert wrote:
> "Ivor Jones" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > "Jon Pitts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]
> >
> > [snip]
> >
> >> Whilst I totally applaud any moves to help cut this
> >> theft, I'm not entirely clear on what's new about this.
> >> As things stand already, if a handset is reported
> >> lost/stolen, it can be blacklisted on all UK networks
> >> within a timeframe I won't go into.
> >>
> >> Or am I missing something blindingly obvious?
> >
> > You're missing the fact that Orange, for one, will not blacklist handsets
> > they haven't sold. I had to get my MP to write to them before they did it
> > for me.
> >
> > Ivor
>
> Sounds like a grey area; I've had 2 handsets stolen, turns out they caught
> the gang in the end. I tried my o2 and vodafone sims in them, couldn't make
> calls. Tried an orange one, also never worked.
>
> Perhaps Orange wont block them within the same time-frame as other networks?

AIUI Orange will block any IMEI on the blacklist.

So if you report to 02 that your O2 phone has been stolen, 02 will put
the phone on the blacklist and all UK networks will block it.

The problem seems to be that Orange wont *add* your phone to the
blacklist themselves if it isn't an Orange phone.

If they can get it write. I lost my phone, so I called my operator and
they got my IMEI from the last call I'd made. They then said they block it.

Well, I found my phone (had left it in a shop) and it still worked...
turned out they blocked someone else's by accident!

Marc
marcw.net

"C!" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> Sounds like a grey area; I've had 2 handsets stolen, turns out they
>> caught
>> the gang in the end. I tried my o2 and vodafone sims in them, couldn't
>> make
>> calls. Tried an orange one, also never worked.
>>
>> Perhaps Orange wont block them within the same time-frame as other
>> networks?
>
> AIUI Orange will block any IMEI on the blacklist.
>
> So if you report to 02 that your O2 phone has been stolen, 02 will put
> the phone on the blacklist and all UK networks will block it.
>
> The problem seems to be that Orange wont *add* your phone to the
> blacklist themselves if it isn't an Orange phone.

Couldn't you just phone another network, explain, get them to cancel with
relevant documentation and proof of ownership, namely call the SIM provider,
and they'll eventually pass that onto orange via the database, and orange
will then blacklist it too?

Some networks are getting pretty rubbish, orange is one of them, so don't be
surprised at their attitude.

Simon Dobson <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Aosmosis wrote:
>>
>> Yer but all you have to do is change the IME number.
>> Your average dumb street mugger wont know how to do this, but they
>> generally sell phones to people higher up in the criminal world that
>> know what they are doing.
>
> Either that, or sell them abroad.
>
> Also curious as to what happens with phones bought SIM free with all
> the networks. I know Orange won't blacklist anything but a handset
> bought from them.. So mine from Expansys must be one of the two in 10
> phones they won't blacklist in 48 hours

Seeing that the combined strength of Vodafone, O2, and T-Mobile control a
large chunk of international networks, why is it such a challenge to create
a more effective international blacklist?

Cynical me suspects that they risk losing too much revenue if a significant
proportion of mobiles suddenly become blocked.

[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> Around 80% of mobile phones will be blocked on all five UK networks within
> 48 hours of being reported stolen in future, industry leaders have pledged.

I thought that 100% of phones reported stolen would already be
blacklisted within hours of being reported?
--
Regards
Jon