Why IMEI challenges are actual?
Challenges — terrorist threats, fraud and thefts during e-commerce transactions, cloning, duplicated mobile terminals, and counterfeit, substandard or rip-off of the radio electronic means — are can not be solved never…. if the state have not the centralized IMEI system. More broadly this should be a centralized system with possibilities of centralized data storage and management of electronic tags.
IMEI is only one of type electronic tags, but IMEIU-Registry can operate and handle with any type ones.
Without the IMEI centralized database is very difficult to fight against thefts of mobile devices and the black market of the stolen handsets effectively .
Without the IMEI centralized database is impossible to eliminate counterfeit or substandard radio electronic means on the market.
Mandatory SIM and R-UIM card registration is not yet fully implemented in the all countries. It is still make actual the possibility for terrorist threat, fraudsters to access SIM and R-UIM cards with invalid information which makes it difficult to trace them.
If separate Telcos in the country have individual IMEI systems and local DB it does not solve problems of the market.
The separate and individual EIRs of the Telcos will not prevent and not allow solved prohibited cloning of mobile devices. Handsets with duplicate or cloned IMEIs are cannot be stopped through this solution.
The turn-key IMEIU-Registry solution would work well as not alternative to the Telcos EIRs database but additional and significantly expanded ones. Our solution allows a particular triplets IMEI/IMSI/MSISDN to be locked to a specific IMEI or vice versa.
IMEIU-Registry system allows flexibility to lock or unlock a given IMEI to any MSISDN (subscriber number (s)) and send relevant SMS notification to the subscriber.
For example, system allows various locking and unlocking policies for implementation:
- in given triplet IMEI/IMSI/MSISDN and a particular IMEI are locked to each other, therefore, that MSSISDN can only use the device of the specified IMEI
- in given triplet IMEI/IMSI/MSISDN the IMEI can be locked to a specific MSISDN/IMSI, but the IMSI/MSISDN can be used with any other IMEI.
- in given triplet IMEI/IMSI/MSISDN can be locked to a specific IMEI, but the IMEI can be used by any subscriber IMSI/MSISDN.
Overview
IMEIU-Registry has been designed to manage the main functions:
- monitoring and control usage of SIM based devices mobile networks of the country implementation in on-line/real-time mode,
- monitoring and support of the Law Enforcement Authority activities on antiterrorism, antifraud, antitheft etc.,
- support and maintenance of the process designated to control and optimize procedures of importing and registration of radio electronic devices, thus, resulting in the increase of state revenues.
IMEIU-Registry system is focused on the government bodies or multistakeholders bodies which have tasks of the monitoring compliance of the import rules, mobile devices trade, anticriminal activities etc. on the electronic communication market.
The Stakeholders of IMEIU-Registry are Customs, Tax Service, Law Enforcement Authority, State Communications Authority, National Regulatory Authority, Importers, and Telcos.
We provide the “turn-key” solution.
The general principles of the system
All Stakeholders have possibility work within IMEIU-Registry environment via separate Automated Working Stations that allows have access to IMEI CDB in accordance with rights and roles of Stakeholders.
IMEIU-Registry allows to operate with options relating to the management of the mobile numbers as well as personal numbers and non-geographic numbers if they use in mobile networks via SIM based devices.
The crypto subsystem of IMEIU-Registry is fully compliant the requirements of the security international standards. The use of cryptographic mechanisms may adopted on the requirements of the legislation of the country implementation if needed.
The IMEIU-Registry system uses brand solutions for servers, routers, firewalls, DMBS. The choice of the brands depends from the specific requirements and traditions of the each Customers.
During implementation, as additional option, can be realized the delivery and launch of SMS/Email-Center for sending service messages (not from network of operators who can sabotage on various reasons the some types of messages). It is an element for further expansion of system towards of number portability.
IMEIU-Registry forms the technological base for decisions:
- to integration with worldwide centralized IMEI Databases;
- on number portability in the mobile and fixed networks;
- on technology using the personal numbers.
The system interacts with the operator’ EIR in accordance with the protocols that are defined for the exchange of information with the EIR/HLR by GSMA documentation. If mobile operator does not have the EIR, the system can interact with HLR in accordance with the data formats and protocols for this interaction.
All technical decisions of the IMEIU-Registry system based on cloud technology. It mean that main and backup sites can be located in any accessible and suitable of the Customer datacenter.
Access to Telcos’ EIR or HLR data from the IMEIU-Registry is provided through secure IP-channels, cryptography equipment, and either via pair FTPS-server/client or via pair EPP-server/client.
There are two remote Administrator clusters — the main site and backup site.
One more Administrator cluster can be located directly in the Administrator office and provide monitoring of subsystem and backup of IMEI CBD. This cluster must be located on secure premises in separate rack. If such option is not available, this cluster can be located at any compliant location which is different from the main and backup sites.
All client software and hardware is located on Stakeholders’ clusters only: Customs, Tax Service, Law Enforcement Authorities, and National Regulatory Authority.
Thus, the system can provide data exchange in all cases and with any configuration of technical structure of mobile operator.
The mirror of the triplets IMEI/IMSI/MSISDN in «white», «grey» and «black» lists can be stored only in IMEI CDB.
The mobile operators and Stakeholders get all relevant information about subscriber numbers after processing in the system.
The system allows only authorized parties to access to «white», «grey», «black» lists. Only authorized parties can provide the information and conditions for transfer triplets IMEI/IMSI/MSISDN from one to another list. Only Administrator must provide the realization of transfer.
The authorization of parties can be provided only according to procedures and policies that must be approved under national legislation.
The system provides the ability to work in three modes of access:
- using WEB for end-users and for support of Automated Working Stations;
- using EPP-protocol, to perform single or group on-line/off-line inquiries in form of xml-structures;
- using FTPS-protocol for data exchange in the form of files.