Johannesburg, 22 Oct 1998
"Network operator Vodacom announced yesterday that it was hitting back at cellphone thieves with an initiative to encourage the public to blacklist cellular phones when they are stolen and to discourage the public from buying stolen cellular phones.
Joan Joffe, group executive (corporate affairs) of Vodacom, said "We are launching this initiative on behalf of the cellular industry because we want to stamp out the theft of cellphones. We want to send a message to thieves that they are wasting their time by stealing a cellular phone, because they will not be able to sell it".
"The network operators are able to blacklist cellphones, rendering them inoperable, " said Joffe. "If all stolen or misplaced cellphones are blacklisted, criminals will soon get the message and will stop stealing cellphones."
Vodacom is launching an advertising campaign to educate the public about what to do if a cellphone is stolen. The network operator has also set up an information line (124 from cellphones or 082 124 from a Telkom phone) which details the correct procedure for blacklisting a cellphone.
Cellphone theft is a major problem in South Africa, with some 200 phones being reported stolen every day. The blacklist, called the Equipment Identity Register (EIR), is a sophisticated computer system that was pioneered in South Africa. Every cellphone has a unique number, like an electronic fingerprint, which is independent of the SIM card`s number. The network logs this number every time the phone is used. If the cellphone is listed as stolen on the EIR, it can be disabled electronically and rendered inoperable on any network around the world that participates in the EIR.
Ms Joffe also warned the public to purchase a cellular phone only from a reliable source, and they should beware of buying a stolen phone, as it may be blacklisted at some time in the future, which will make it unusable.
"Blacklisting of cellular phones is a serious action, and this can only be done if the correct procedure is followed. This includes reporting the theft to a police station and quoting the case number obtained to the relevant service provider," said Ms Joffe.
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