IMEI's 'Duties' Expanded, Lost HP No Need to Be Alarmed
IMEI.
– The Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemenkominfo) is reviewing the use of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) registration to protect cellphones (smartphones/smartphones) that are lost or stolen. Previously, IMEI only prevented illegal smartphone smuggling in Indonesia.
"Right now, if you lose your cellphone, you'll just have to accept your fate. Even though it can be blocked so that the person who stole it can't get any benefits. "Well, now IMEI registration is being developed for protection," said Director of Post and Information Equipment Standardization at the Ministry of Communication and Information, Mulyadi, in Jakarta, Friday, May 31 2024.
He also said that this system had been implemented in South Korea in the last 10 years and had proven effective in reducing the number of smartphone thefts. In South Korea, continued Mulyadi, cellphones that are lost or left behind can be returned by post to the unit that handles lost or stolen smartphone problems.
By utilizing IMEI registration, the unit then returns the smartphone to its owner. According to him, the Ministry of Communication and Information is currently still in the initial stages of reviewing the use of IMEI registration to protect against lost or stolen cellphones in Indonesia.
He stated that IMEI registration could be used to protect citizens' devices, but its implementation requires a mature concept, especially because the smartphone trading system in Indonesia is very open. The Ministry of Communication and Information is trying to finalize the concept of using IMEI registration to protect lost or stolen cellphones in order to minimize the possibility of problems arising after implementing the system.
"The issue of cellphone ownership needs to be resolved first. We are now looking for a concept, so that there are no disputes, (for example) there are people who claim, even though the cellphone claim is lost, it is not blocked, but is actually sold," said Mulyadi.
Illustration of a smartphone or smart phone. Photo : Pixabay
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Communication and Information claims that the implementation of IMEI in Indonesia has shown positive results in reducing illegal cellphone smuggling. "Regarding smuggling, this is the domain of Customs and Excise, and we have received information from them that there has been a decline," he explained.
Mulyadi said, based on information he obtained from the Directorate General of Customs and Excise at the Ministry of Finance, the implementation of this regulation had a positive impact on state revenue, with an increase in Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) for smartphone device importers of around IDR 2 trillion.
He also believes that trends in society also indicate a decline in the circulation of illegal cellphones. With the implementation of IMEI rules, cellphones that are not registered in the national database will not be able to be used, because mobile operators are not permitted to provide services on these devices.
Furthermore, Mulyadi said that the IMEI registration regulations had proven to be an effective step in eradicating cellphone smuggling and this system had also facilitated the monitoring process at Customs. With this system, smugglers can no longer just carry cellphones in their pockets and pretend they have been used. If the IMEI is not registered when the smartphone lands at the airport, it still cannot be used.
"So, they (Customs) don't need to check anymore, there's no need to rummage through passengers' belongings. IMEI is the most effective," he stressed. The government has implemented IMEI registration regulations since 2020 to facilitate security for cellphones circulating in Indonesia, both those produced domestically and imported.