blocking mobile phones

[markja]

does anyone agree with me that when mobiles are stolen the service providers should turn off any sim cards that get put in the phone after it's been 'turned off'
this would deter people from buying dodgey phones and thus make the stealing of phones unprofitable to the thieves.

[BillyNoMates]

All of the Mobile Phone providers have been sitting on their collective FAT backsides about this matter for years.

Along come the Government and say - Oh by the end of the year we wil be able to block IMIE numbers in order to reduce the crime figures wrt to muggings / mobile related crime.

Total cr*p - that facility has been around for a long time.

Yes, you are quite right in wondering about SIM cards too. They have a serial number, they can be blocked too.

But we have to wait until the Governement 'Spin Doctor' has had his/her say on the matter.

Problem is when you and I get a new SIM card do you record the serial number of the SIM card ? I personally do.

No doubt there will be leaflets and TV campaigns about it in about 2 years when it has been passed .

Until people realise that they have to use mobiles responsibly and the Governement are in debt to the mobile companies for providing them with billions for the 3G explosion that never happened, we will all have to take common sense.

[wnjxc21]

it's quite simple to make a note of your IMEI number

just type *#06# on your handset... if you ever do have your phone stolen, the handset can be blacklisted quite easily. rendering it useless!

[Jay70]

The trouble is network providers take a while to block a phone even if you provide them with a IMEI No. There is also a way of changing the IMEI No on a phone using a PC thus enabling the phone to take on a new identity a bit like car cloning.

[kwicky]

There is a new free website where you register your mobile phone and if stolen they will immobilise it to prevent further use. As mentioned above you need your IMEI number which you put into the database.
www.immobilise.com

[SteveSxx]

If my Nokia 9300 is stolen - I simply text a code to it to lock it - then I can stop any further use of it.....