Hotline to test condition of mobile phones

by Manjula FERNANDO

The Telecom Regulatory Commission (TRC) introduced a hot line yesterday for mobile phone users to verify the bona fide of a new phone before buying it.

The buyers could send the International Mobile Equipment Identity imei number to 1909 and receive the details of the make of the phone and a verification if the product is a genuine one within 30 seconds, TRC Director General, Anusha Pelpita said.

He said the objective is to put a tab on substandard, harmful and illegal mobile phones entering the market and ultimately make the consumers ill or become a hazardous waste that is hard to recycle or get rid of.

The correct way to send the imei number to TRC for verification is - imei type number and sent to 1909.

"Over 30%-40% of mobile phones in our market are imported illegally. Some of them are not up to permitted health standards," he said.

In the future the packaging (boxes) of new mobile phones should carry a TRC registration number in addition to the security serial 'imei number'. He said these measures will also protect the fast growing mobile market in the country.

The TRC screens all the genuine consignments of mobile phones for international safety standards before being permitted into the market.

The imei number of the mobile phone of any make can be retrieved by typing *#06#. By providing this number to the mobile phone service provider a stolen phone can be blocked.