An explanation about the mandatory registration of mobile phone IMEI numbers!

Many posts were shared on social media stating that the mobile devices have been blocked which does not have the approval of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), so that they cannot be operated in Sri Lanka. We decided to check the credibility of this news.

Social Media Posts

A post was shared on social media which stated that the Telecommunications Regulatroy Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) will block the activation of unapproved mobile devices from January 29^th.

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This is how we conducted an investigation regarding this.

Explainer:

Even the mainstream media has reported that the TRCSL will diactivate all the unregistered mobile devices from usage, from January 28^th onwards.

Those news reports state that from 28^th of January 2025, mobile devices with unregistered IMEI numbers will be diactivated and will no longer operate on Sri Lanka telecommunication network. But it furthermore states that devices which are already connected to the local networks before this date will be exempted from this new requirment.

Here and here are some instances where the mainstream media reported on them.

In order to further confirm this, we checked the website of the TRCSL and it also reported the same news.

In particular, the TRCSL has stated in the announcement that this restriction will not apply to phones with active IMEI number connected to Sri Lankan networks until January 28^th, 2025.

Through further information provided in the website, it also mentions how users can check the IMEI registration status of their device.

Accordingly, users can verify the IMEI registration status of their device by sending an SMS to 1909 with the format “IMEI <Number-15 IMEI Number>”.

For more information, users can contact the TRCSL through its hotline number 1900, or visit their official website at www.trc.gov.lk.

With the publication of this news, we could see through the comments posted on social media posts, that people had many doubts regarding this. So we browsed some facts regarding this.

What are the pros that you get by registering your device on TRCSL?

Fraud and corruption will be reduced if your device is approved by the TRCSL. Aslo, your are provided with the opportunity to use them under the proper and legal condition certificates. If a phone is TRCSL approved, then you can confirm that the phone is the original phone of the manufacturer concerned.

The unique adavantage of this is that if a TRCSL approved phone is lost, the police, TRCSL and the telephone service agency combine to enable you to locate your lost phone.

In order to get TRCSL approval, the companies that import phones have to pay tax accurately to the government.

The payment of taxes provides an opportunity to maintain the economy of the country and without the approval of TRCSL, by importing phones to Sri Lanka through illegal means, the taxes that are to be received to Sri Lanka will not be received. Proper taxation is essential for the survival of a country.

Therefore, it is important to get the approval of the TRCSL under such circumstances.

Will this new law be a problem for phones that are not currently TRCSL approved and for phone of foreigners?

As clearly stated on the website of the TRCSL, phones connected to the Sri Lankan networks until January 28^th, 2025 with an active IMEF number but not TRCSL approved phones will not be deactivated in the local networks after January 28^th, 2025.

This new law will come into effect from 29^th January 2025 only for non TRCSL approved phones.

The Director General of the TRCSL, retired Air Vice Marshal Bandula Herath, while commenting on this matter to the media on the 9^th said that the now program will not interfere with the mobile phones currently in use and the phones of foreigners.

He says that people have been affected by various blockages caused by buying substandard communication devices and that the country has lost a lot of foreign exchange by importing communication devices through illegal methods. Accordingly, this step is taken to provide the people of Sri Lanka with the opportunity to buy legal devices of proper quality from the market under proper condition certificates.

In order to achieve this goal, the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission hopes to implement an automatic system at the end of this month and in this regard people of the country will be properly informed. He also mentioned that efforts will be made to prevent the sale of illegally imported telephoned to the public without the proper statndards.

Can TRCSL approval be obtained for phones that are not TRCSL approved after January 29^th?

In our inquiries with the TRCSL, we were told that after January 28^th, the customer cannot obtain the TRCSL approval by himself for a phone bought from a Sri Lankan shop, but it should be obtained by the mobile phone importer.

Further, they told us that all the new telephones including other communication devices brought to Sri Lanka from 29^th should be approved by the Telecommunications and Regulatory Commission.

When purchasing a phone, the customer should be careful and confirm whether the phone is approved by the TRCSL. When importing these devices, the clearance is done through the TRCSL and the registration of these devices takes place according to the normal procedure.

What will happen to phones sold in the market without the TRCSL approval after January 29?

They mentioned that the phones that have been brought to Sri Lanka for sale without the approval of the TRCSL cannot obtain the approval after January 29^th. The TRCSL states that such persons should enter a SIM card and activate their phone under Sri Lanka networks, otherwise they cannot be used after 29^th.

How to get TRCSL approval when you bring a phone that have been using abroad to Sri Lanka, or if a phone is sent to you from abroad?

When we inquired about this from TRCSL, they said, that a link related to getting TRCSL approval for such people will be included on their official website in the future. Accordingly, the stated that if someone brings a phone to Sri Lanka that they have used abroad , they can get the relevant link and enter the relevant documents such as passports and get the approval.

They also mentioned that if someone from abroad sends a phone to you, in such a case, they will prepare a system to get approval in the future by uploading invoices and relevant documents to the link.

The link has not yer been included in the official website and they are expected to include it in the future. They have also not yet decided which documents to be included in such cases and they will be notified in the future.

Earlier attempts to mandate the use of TRCSL approved phones.

Before there has been many attepmts to implement this law, but it has not been succesful due to many practical issues.

Due to rather complicated process of obtaining TRCSL approval during importation, there is a possibility of some setback or reduction of phone importers.

Also, as the sellers try to raise the prices of TRCSL approved phones, the ability of the common people to buy some good quality phones is reduced.

However, this was not implemented properly in the previous years, mainly due to some problems in the method of identifying phones that are not approved by TRCSL and the practical issues in the implementation of this law. But to acieve this goal, the Director General of the TRCSL, retired Air Vice Marshal Bandula Herath stated that the TRCSL hopes to implement an automatic system at the end of this month. However, we hope that this law will be implemented properly this time.

Network of telecommunications operators.

We made an inquiry to Dialog about the deactivation process of devices without the TRCSL approval, and asked whether there is a method to specifically identify these phones and communication devices that do not have the TRCSL approval after January 29^th.

They pointed out that the method is currently under discussion and information can be provided in the future.

Accordinly, we hope to update this article with that information when we receive more information.

Obtaining TRCSL approval while bringing mobile phones or devices to Sri Lanka for personal use.

The official website of the TRCSL has detailed information on the need to obtain the approval from the TRCSL when bringing or importing any type of mobile phones or devices connected to cellular networks that include a SIM for personal use. You can read the relevant information here.

Accordingly, the steps to get approval for the communication devices you bring from abroad for personal use are as follows.

1. Only up to five (5) units can be imported/ brought for the personal use.
2. The application should be forwarded to the TRCSL in writing with the following documents for consideration.
   1. Dully filled Application Form
   2. Invoice/ Detention Receipt/ Air way Bill /Parcel Receipt which clearly indicate the name of the person and the list of equipment intend to import/clear.
   3. Technical Specification of the equipment in ( ii) above
   4. Copy of the National ID/ Passport/Driving License
   5. If someone else need to get the approval on behalf of the person in (ii) above, the Authorization letter and the copies of the National ID/ Passportof both persons required.
3. The application will be processed by TRCSL
4. Tax invoice would be prepared and rendered to the applicant by TRCSL if charges are applicable for the equipment intend to import/clear and should be paid to get the approval
5. The following two letters will be issued to the applicant allowing the importation of equipment mentioned in Item 2 (ii) above
   1. A no objection letter addressed to the Controller /Imports & Exports
   2. A no objection letter addressed to the Director General of Customs

Obtaining approval for bulk import of mobile phones/ devices.

Following steps are to be followed when obtaining the approval while importing mobile phones/devices in bulk.

1. Must have a valid Vendors License issued by TRCSL
2. Only the Type Approved Mobile Phones/ Devices are allowed to import under this category. Details for obtaining the Type Approval
3. The request should be forwarded to the TRCSL in writing with the following documents for consideration
   1. A request letter indicating the details of equipment intend to import
   2. Pro-forma Invoice (original + 3 copies, original will be returned on verification)
   3. Type Approval number & date or any other document issued by TRCSL relating to type approval (if applicable)
   4. Copy of the valid Vendors license
4. The application would be forwarded to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for security clearance (if applicable)
5. Tax invoice would be prepared and rendered to the applicant by TRCSL (if charges are applicable)
6. TRCSL will issue a no objection letter to the applicant addressed, to the Controller/Imports & Exports allowing the importation of equipment mentioned in Items 3(i) & 3(ii)
7. TRCSL will issue a no objection letter to the applicant, addressed to the Director General of Customs on submission of following documents.

1. Copy of authorization letter given by Controller(Import License)
2. Commercial invoice (original +3 copies, original will be returned on verification or a copy of commercial invoice duly certified by the Bank confirming that the remittance/payment  has been made by TT of LC.)
3. Copy of the letter issued by TRCSL addressed to Controller/Imports & Exports (Item 6 above)
4. Copy of the Proforma Invoice (Item 3(ii) above)
5. IMEI Numbers of mobile phones/ devices should be  Emailed to    [email protected] in the format Annex 1
6. Proof of the settlement of the Invoice stated in Item 05 above  in full (if applicable)
7. In case of mobile phones/ devices importation, TRCSL will issue a Reference Number which would be pasted on the box of  the mobile phone/ device, in a form of a sticker for Customer’s Reference (Sample Sticker)

Are phone prices rising?

In the Sri Lanka market, TRCSL approved phones are generally more expensive than non-TRCSL approved phones. A tax has to be paid when obtaining the TRCSL approval when importing, and it is some kind of a complex method. As a result, the prices of phones with the TRCSL approval are slightly higher. But, in implementing this kind of law, there us an opportunity for sellers to take advantage of it and increase the price.

What is the IMEI number on your mobile phone?

Every smartphone in the market is assigned a unique identifier called the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. Every phone is manufactured with this number and thus the set of numbers is unique to each phone. The IMEI number contains 15 digits and can be used to trace phones anywhere in the world.

The IMEI number can also be displayed on the phone screen by entering *#06# on the mobile phone.

If your phone is lost or stolen, give your IMEI number to the service provider of your phone number. Then the number will be added to the blacklist, so that it cannot be used by anyone else. 

Also, the IMEI number is valuable when your phone gets locked.

You can also check the phone’s country of origin, manufacturer, date of purchase and more information through the IMEI number.

There are also phones with fake IMEI numbers and many countries in the world have taken measures to prevent the use of phones that come into the countries fraudulently.

So, the purpose of the TRCSL to make the registration of devices compulsory is the allow consumers to use standard communication devices.

However, since the previous attempts to implement this law was not successful, we hope that it will be implemented properly this time.

Join us to learn more about our investigative fact findings.

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