IMEI question...

[sergo_zmeia]

Hi everybody!
I want to ask a question about the IMEI changing....can someone plaese explain me why it is illegal..../just asking here in my country the operators dont bared the phones they just call to police and after that You just loose Your phone...so I dont want to do illegal things just want to know why this thing is illegal/
sorry for my english..
Regards!
Sergo_Zmeia

[bobl]

Okay, one definate reason and one possible reason:

1) To stop reselling of stolen phones.

Simple. If someone steals my phone (IMEI 123..0), then I will report this. The IMEI will then be barred from networks, so the phone will not work. HOWEVER, if you simply change the IMEI..what's the point? There is no way stop the stolen phone being used. So if the thief finally gets caught (improbable), it's an additional charge.

2) Changing IMEI number to use someone elses credit I think. Change your IMEI means you will appear to be someone else on a network I think, so you can use their prepaid credit or run up a bill on their contract.

Well, there you go :)

Bob

[sergo_zmeia]

Thanks for replay bobl....but I dont think its just that simple...by me the reasons are more specific....so Ill keep searchinching....
Regards!
Sergo_Zmeia

[jeep]

Originally posted by bobl
2) Changing IMEI number to use someone elses credit I think. Change your IMEI means you will appear to be someone else on a network I think, so you can use their prepaid credit or run up a bill on their contract.The IMEI has nothing to do with the credit/contract, it's all done with the SIM. I regularly swap my prepay SIMs and the credit definitely follows the SIM card rather than the phone IMEI.

You may be wondering why I have several SIMS (and therefore phone numbers....), well when TIM (in Brasil) launched here there was an offer I couldn't refuse. As GSM was new here, they wanted people to quit TDMA/whatever and move over, so they gave free credit each month on their prepay scheme. Strangely, they gave back more credit than the cost of the SIM!

Can't think why they stopped that promotion :D


George

[bobl]

@jeep

For once we disagreed!...But you're right :D

I already found out I was wrong after reading another post today, but it seemed fairly pointless correcting myself cause I knew someone like you would correct it :)

Thank you :)

@sergo_zmeia

I don't really understand? "By me the reasons are more specific"?

:)?

Bob

[sergo_zmeia]

bobl......I think that its all about that the operators listen to the conversations we make...so once You buy a phone and register to the network they know Your IMEI and phone number and every thime when You talk they can trace You....Ill stop here..cause the other things are connected with another structures /sorry for my english/
Regards!
Sergo_Zmeia

[sergo_zmeia]

Ill appreciate any other suggestions and ideas...
Thanks..
Regards!
Sergo_Zmeia

[chunkhead]

I remember when Vodafone entered into Ireland and took over Eircell they released the pre-paid mobiles with 80 Euro of credit! The problem was the phone number wasn't credited, but the imei was when it logged on initially! The trick to it all was that Vodafone had IMEI stickers on the boxes in the store! So if you went in and copied down a few imei numbers and then changed yours, logged on...:grin:

[paradox :x]

For example in my cauntry not only operator have "black-lists" in which they include stoulen, lost and unpluged for debts mobile pfones it's posibe even to find out whats-up whits this phone just call to service centre. But also police tracing stoulen mobile phones by IMEI if phone is used. Find out who use it, even if you you use pre-pay card whos dialed, recived number and smsis operator don't save. Whits diferent caind of combinations they return phone to legal owner. I don't know details but i know it's fact. And maybe this is answer why IMEI changing is Ilegal. action.