Networks Blocking Phones Stolen in London Riots
Mobile Phone carriers are blocking stolen phones.
As photographs and video footage of the London riots make their way online, one thing is immediately apparent: A lot of businesses are losing a lot of merchandise. However, it seems mobile phone networks are doing their part to thwart those using the riots to steal mobile phones.
CNet reports that networks are blocking mobile phones stolen in the London, Manchester and Birmingham riots within "a matter of hours."
"Once the phone and electronics shops have worked out what stock is missing, they'll log the IMEI numbers of stolen phones," writes CNet's Rich Trenholm. "Each network has an Equipment Identity Register (EIR), a blacklist of stolen phones that are blocked by that network," he continued. "The phone will be blocked by the network within 24 hours, and blocked across all networks within 48 hours. Networks share their EIR blacklists with the Central EIR, ensuring that a stolen phone is blocked on all networks, regardless of which SIM card is put in it."
Of course, networks can also trace stolen phones. However, with ill-gotten gains already appearing on sites like eBay and Craigslist, it's likely following the trail will not lead to the thief, but someone else entirely. Still, it's nice to know that stolen phones will be shut out by networks. Just be sure you don't accidentally buy one yourself.
- Mobile,
- Vodafone,
- Orange,
- T-Mobile,
- O2,
- 3 COM,
- London-Riots ,
- Stolen-Phones ,
- Blocked ,
- Blacklisted ,
- Broken
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Ha ha ... Gutted you muppets!
Girlfriend's Dad got a new phone from eBay this morning, it is blocked. Aw hell naw.
It never occured to him that a brand new phone being sold from an account in London which has suddenly come into possesion of a bunch of new electronic gear 'might' be stolen? Huh.
lol retard
Hmmm...what is someone sell the phone in far far away countries?
Can the phones still be used there with the local net?
We could sell something through e-bay to all around the world you know.
I've always thought it a bit of a lottery buying second-hand mobiles, as someone could easily get it blocked after you've bought it, leaving you with an expensive brick.
With the current situation, it seems even more chancy as there's no way to check the provenance of it before buying.
Just as a bit of closure we found the issue wasn't that it was a looted phone after all (coincidentally enough) but a contract issue, they were nice enough to sell a phone that was tied to a contract without giving him any details.
Your topic some deep!
I don't know!!!!!