Osiptel extends blocking of imported unregistered cell phones until July 22

The Supervisory Body for Private Investment in Telecommunications (Osiptel) extended the start of the blocking of cell phones that are not registered in the National Registry of Mobile Terminal Equipment for Security (Renteseg) until next July 22. The extension will only affect devices brought from abroad, since stolen ones will always be blocked this April 22.

The resolution of the Board of Directors No. 00119-2024-CD/OSIPTEL establishes that the extension of the activation of cell phone registration (White Lists), as part of the third stage of Renteseg, will not take place this Monday, April 22, as was planned, so that importers can regularize the situation of their mobile equipment. The extension was unexpected in view of the circumstances, the agency said

It should be noted that, according to Legislative Decree No. 1338, only legally imported mobile terminal equipment that has been included in the White List is authorized to operate in the public mobile telecommunications service network.

However, and according to what is stated in Report No. 087-DFI/2024, “the percentage of mobile terminal equipment that is not registered by importers on the White List is still high.” In addition, Osiptel recognized that the equipment acquired abroad by natural persons has not been registered either.

“A situation that would lead to the blocking of the aforementioned equipment and, therefore, would affect users,” the agency reported.

It should be noted that, even when a mobile terminal equipment is not on the White List, but it is determined that it is equipment with an adulterated IMEI (cloned and invalid) or when the competent authority reports that it was entered as smuggled, Osiptel will order the blocking of the equipment. , as well as the devices whose IMEI is registered on the Black List.

Osiptel points out that since 2020 “it has been sending various communications to importing companies.” However, of the 105 communications sent, in order to encourage the respective registration of their mobile terminal equipment on the White List, it is observed that only 10 of them requested to be registered as a reporting entity, with the remaining 95, to the date, they are still pending to carry out said registration.

Likewise, it should be noted that it has been detected that, of the imports carried out between June 2023 and April 2024, 99% of them would be carried out by 30 importing companies, of which 7 of these companies – to date – are not found. registered in the Imported Mobile Terminal Equipment Information Loading System (SICART) and They would have imported, in said period, the amount of 391,384 mobile terminal equipment, the same ones that were going to be blocked at the beginning of operations of the Third Phase of Renteseg, on April 22.

“Taking into account the above, it is reasonable to extend for a period of three months the deadline for the enforceability of the obligation related to the blocking of mobile terminal equipment for not being reported on the Renteseg White List; in order to develop, during said periods, campaigns of dissemination and coordination between authorities”, concludes the standard.