Information Madness

First of all, those who don't know what's IMEI number is, it stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. Every phone manufactured in India or outside has a unique 15-digit code that identifies a mobile device. IMEI number isvery important in tracking down the movements of a phone.

How to check your IMEI Number?

Nokia phones for instance, one can press *#06# on their phones to access their IMEI number. Similarly, you can find other mobile device's IMEI numbers by opening your phone's battery compartment. Or a google search saying IMEI number and your mobile handset model will give you hundreds of sites explaining how to access the IMEI number on your phone.

If you want to verify the integrity of the phone, you can verify the IMEI number by sending a message “IMEI to 53232.

Why IMEI number is important and IMEI number tracking is important?

Indian Cellular Association (ICA) has decided that the mobile handsets which do not have International Mobile Equipment Identification (IMEI) will face disconnections from December 1.

So the low end Chinese phones that have flooded the market are going to disconnected from tomorrow.

Things to do..

If you are one of those Chinese mobile handset user, you can call your mobile operator and ask them to implant an IMEI number on the phone. The cellular phone operator association of India had made provision to incorporate a valid IMEI into such Chinese handsets through the use of a software mechanism.

How to Track IMEI Numbers

There is a site called www.trackimei.com. If you have lost your mobile and remember the 14/15 digit IMEI number of your mobile which is a unique number for every mobile then you can register you mobile with TrackIMEI.com. if any of their dealers across the world will come across that mobile having that IMEI number, they will contact you on the details provided by you while registering.

If you are a used /secondhand mobile buyer, you can go to TrackIMEI.com and check for the used/secondhand mobile's IMEI number and see if there was no theft or stolen report filed against that mobile handset.

Proliferation of unbranded phone devices, without IMEI number or with invalid or cloned numbers places a serious threat to national security as they could not be tracked.