In a move that could affect over nine million phones, the Uganda Communications Commission has set a deadline for telecoms to switch off counterfeit phones from their network. Is your phone type approved? We shared how to do a self check.
The phones targeted are those whose international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) are not recognizable by the network. IMEI numbers are crucial to identifying and tracking mobile phones, making it easier for law enforcers to trace criminals.
Counterfeit mobile phones have over the years flooded the market, gaining popularity on the basis of their lower pricing. This has increased consumer vulnerability to fake gadgets. With an estimated 24 million subscribers, Uganda is a rich market for handset manufacturers, and with it the counterfeits. However, URA continues to fight entry of counterfeit phones into the country.
I reached out to Ibrahim Bbossa, Consumer Affairs Manager at UCC a few days back on information about the switch off. He noted that the process was going on in the background. At the moment, they were addressing the modalities to operationalise the Central Equipment Identity Registry. He added that there was progress made on including Non-type approved phones on the prohibited list for EAC for custom clearance purposes. However, he couldn’t ascertain the exact deadline then.
Uganda will join Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa and Nigeria in efforts to boost security and health measures by disconnecting counterfeit phones.
Counterfeit phones face disconnection in 3 months.
UCC and all licensed telecom companies have a deadline of three months to start deactivating phones whose specifications fall short of minimum standards. Mr Mutabazi told ICT committee legislators that the commission had procured the CEIR. However, he did not reveal the exact cost of the machine. Sources point to a figure of around USD 1 Million.
The CEIR is a Central Equipment Identity Register. It contains a database with a list of serial numbers of mobile terminals which were active in the mobile network.
However, there is some confidence that the Government will postpone the said deadline. In the past, Government extended previous deadlines such as SIM card registration and Digital migration. Consequently, switching off counterfeit phones might take a more future date than the said 3 months. However, take this with a pinch of salt since it’s not an official statement.
The ICT Minister is well aware of protests from Ugandans about extending the switch off deadline. “I hope we shall be bashed or asked to extend the deadlines,” he said.
UCC in early September 2012 promised to disconnect counterfeit phones from mobile networks. The commission reiterated the same in a directive in April 2018. “All telecom operators shall expedite arrangements for the establishment and activation of the CEIR in Uganda,” the directive read.
However, if Government scraps taxes off mobile phones, the move would make genuine mobile phones affordable to the majority of Ugandans. This would have reduce the effects of the switch off.
