OTTAWA – Canada’s wireless industry has released a national blacklist of lost or stolen devices in an effort to help crack down on the theft of wireless devices.
Effective immediately, the authorization of any GSM, HSPA, HSPA+ or LTE wireless device on any participating Canadian carrier's network will require verification that the 15-digit International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of the device has not been reported as lost or stolen on that network or any other participating Canadian network as of September 30, 2013. The blacklist will also include devices that have been reported as lost or stolen by U.S. carriers that are connected to the GSMA IMEI Database.
For Canadians who choose to purchase a wireless device from a private source, the ProtectYourData.ca web site will allow consumers to look up the IMEI number of the device to find out if it has been blacklisted in Canada. This look-up feature, the first of its kind in the world that utilizes the GSMA IMEI database, will include blacklisted devices that have been reported as lost or stolen as of September 30, 2013 and beyond.
Customers must contact their service provider to report a lost or stolen phone to have their device deactivated and added to the blacklist.
“The CRTC is pleased to see that the members of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) met their commitment to join the GSM Association and use the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) database before the September 30, 2013 deadline”, said CRTC chair Jean-Pierre Blais, in a statement. “This concrete action, in conjunction with the CWTA’s public-education campaign which includes the ProtectYourData.ca website, will help protect Canadians against the potentially damaging implications of device theft.”
"Canadians are among the world's fastest adopters and heaviest users of sophisticated smartphones," added CWTA president & CEO Bernard Lord. "Not only will this national blacklist help to make their smartphones a less valuable target for criminals, but the industry has also taken steps to help Canadian consumers identify if a pre-owned device has previously been reported as lost or stolen."
