PTA will block all mobile devices after Oct 20th, which remain non-compliant

The final phase of Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) shall begin on October 20th, 2018, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has stated in an announcement today.

The authority has said that this unique system will curb illegal imports, facilitate legitimate device importers, and mobile device users, and improve overall security situation.

All mobile devices, however, having SIM/IMEI functionality operating on Pakistani mobile networks will not face any service interruption nor will be blocked by DIRBS.

Any mobile device obtained/purchased/imported after 20th October 2018 must obtain PTA Certificate of Compliance (COC) to technical standards. Otherwise, any mobile device reflecting non-compliant status after 20th October 2018 will be blocked as per Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)/DIRBS regulations.

In order to create public awareness, PTA is sending informatory SMS to all mobile subscribers to know the status of their mobile devices in use.

How to verify your device’s status?

Telecom consumers can verify status of any mobile device by sending its IMEI number via SMS to 8484, on the website www.dirbs.pta.gov.pk or by downloading DIRBS android mobile app from Google Play Store.

By using any of the three ways of verifying a mobile device IMEI, subscriber might receive 4 categories of responses which are explained below:

• Compliant Devices are PTA type approved and legally imported in Pakistan.
• Valid Devices are such devices where the IMEI of mobile device is valid (GSMA approved), however it is not PTA compliant/approved.
  • To facilitate such users, PTA will auto register all such IMEIs which are observed on a mobile network before 20th October 2018 and their status will be compliant after-this-date.
  • For auto registration, users are advised to do any revenue generating activity i.e. make any call, send a SMS or use mobile internet before 20th October, 2018.
• Non-Compliant devices are such devices where IMEI is either not allocated by GSMA or it is duplicated.
  • To facilitate such users, PTA will auto pair all such IMEIs which are observed on mobile network with specific SIMs before 20th October 2018.
  • After this date, those users will be able to use these IMEIs with paired-SIMs-only.
  • In order to auto pair all the IMEIs related to this mobile device, users are advised to do any revenue generating activity from their SIM(s), i.e. make any call, send a SMS or use mobile internet from their SIM(s) before 20th October, 2018.
• Blocked devices indicates that your IMEI is blocked as this IMEI has been reported stolen earlier.

Buying a new phone? verify first by sending SMS to 8484.

It is reiterated that mobile device users should verify their IMEI by sending SMS to 8484. It is advised to buy only PTA compliant/approved mobile devices. For further details: visit PTA website (https://www.pta.gov.pk)