Question : Central Equipment Identity Register

(a) whether the Government has launched a project called Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) through the Department of Telecommunication on pilot basis in Maharashtra to rescue people who’s mobile phones are lost or stolen;

(b) if so, the details and the salient features thereof;

(c) whether the Government has launched a new web portal in this regard on which people can register their complaints of lost and theft mobile phones and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to start the said project in other parts of the country to discourage the theft of mobile phones across the country and if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be launched in the whole country; and

(e) whether DoT has also launched a maritime communications service, and that VSAT solutions provider NELCO would undertake broadband services in the maritime sector and if so, the details and the salient features thereof?

MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW & JUSTICE AND
ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) & (b) The Government has launched Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) project on pilot basis in Maharashtra on 13.09.2019 for tracing of stolen or lost mobile phones. The salient features of pilot include following:
(i) Request for blocking of stolen or lost mobile phones by customer.
(ii) Blocking of such mobile phones across mobile networks.
(iii) Allowing services to other existing customers having mobile phones with same International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.
(iv) Sharing of traceability data with Police Authorities.
(v) Unblocking of recovered/found stolen or lost mobile phones.
(c) The Government has launched a web portal (https://www.ceir.gov.in) for customers of Maharashtra on 13.09.2019, facilitating blocking of stolen or lost mobile phones.

(d) The Government has envisaged a phased approach for pan India implementation of the project on the basis of learnings from pilot project in Maharashtra.

(e) Department of Telecommunications has launched maritime communication services on 13.09.2019. As on date, nine (9) companies including Tatanet Services Limited, a company whose 100% equity is owned by Nelco Limited have taken authorisation as per the “Flight and Maritime Connectivity (FMC) Rules, 2018”. A company granted authorisation under FMC Rules, 2018 can provide voice or data or both services in Flights and Ships or Vessels.