A group representing the wireless industry in the US known as CTIA has announced the completion of adatabase that contains details of stolen phonespresumably from within US. This is a joint undertaking of the US-based carrier networks Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T. Unlike the original plan of blocking a stolen unit from being activated within the US territory, the new database now includes the ability to request foreign-based network carriers to also block activation of stolen phones.
This would put a stop to organized groups from sending stolen phones abroad where their serial numbers will not be detected by network carriers outside of the US. Law enforcers have been clamoring for the installation of a kill-switch inside the unit that would allow it to instantaneously deactivate once the device is taken away from its owner. However, the network carriers opposed that idea on the basis of self-interest and the possibility of allowing hackers to disable the phone remotely.
A district attorney, however, thinks the opposition is generally based on the possible loss of revenue from insurancewhere carriers are also engaged into. Foreign-based carriers are expected to expand the coverage of the database with the inclusion of all 3G or 4G/LTE-supported mobile devices. Whether this plan could finally break the crime of stealing phones remains to be seen for now.
(source)
No comments:
Post a Comment