Lok Sabha Question No. 506 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-20
Subject: Central Equipment Identity Register
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Sudheer Gupta, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Feroze Varun Gandhi, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 506 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 TH   NOVEMBER, 2019

CENTRAL EQUIPMENT IDENTITY REGISTER

## 506. SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (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?

## ANSWER

## 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.

************