PTA introduces system to identify unregistered mobile phones

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has urged consumers to check whether a mobile phone is approved for use on local networks before buying it.

The PTA says its Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) is used to identify, register and block devices that are illegal, unregistered or not compliant with regulatory requirements.

The authority advises consumers to verify a phone’s IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number before purchasing or using the device.

How to check an IMEI number

The PTA also advised consumers to verify mobile phone’s IMEI number before buying it through various ways: Dial *#06# on the mobile phone to display the IMEI number, check the IMEI number printed on the phone’s original packaging, find the IMEI number through the phone’s settings, send the IMEI number by SMS to 8484 to check its status, and use the PTA’s online device-verification service to verify the handset.

PTA says DIRBS was introduced to prevent the use of illegally imported or non-compliant mobile devices on Pakistan’s telecommunications networks.

Consumers are advised to verify a device’s status before purchasing it, particularly to avoid buying a handset that could later be blocked from accessing local mobile networks.