The Communications and Digitalisation Minister, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has revealed that a Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR) records all devices in the country and reduces the influx of smuggled and counterfeit mobile devices has been introduced.
The Minister, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said this at a press conference in Accra.
CEIR is a central EIR database that integrates IMEI numbers of EIR of all the networks. As the information is stored in the CEIR, it will be periodically updated in the EIR of all the networks” she said.
The Ghana CEIR, she revealed, will be connected to the global database (GSMA database) to access the IMEI of approved and blacklisted devices. This will ensure that mobile devices entering the country are properly authenticated. It will also be connected to the databases of all mobile network operators in Ghana, to synchronize and update data of blacklisted and whitelisted devices in Ghana. “This will ensure that only approved mobile devices recognized by the CEIR would function in Ghana.
It will generate and store a list of all blacklisted and whitelisted devices in our repository”.
Touching on the importation of mobile devices, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful explained that it will require that the IMEI of the devices are captured on the CEIR database during declaration. The captured information will synchronize with the GSMA database and confirm the standard and ownership status of the device. Compliance with customs duty payment will be ensured during the declaration process.
She said this is to address the challenge of the smuggling and trade in counterfeit, stolen, and substandard mobile devices, and increase the potential for enhanced revenues, technology has been developed to ensure that these devices only function when they enter the country through legal means.
She says each operator has an Equipment Identity Registry (EIR) which is a database that contains all the IMEI numbers of the handsets of all the subscribers on a particular cellular network. She noted that the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a unique identity code, which is given to all Global System for Mobile (GSM) devices. “When the mobile device is connected to a particular network, the MSC requests the IMEI of that mobile device, and then it is sent to the EIR for the further authorization process.
The government, she says has initiated good digitalization initiatives and innovations in Ghana and expanding the focus beyond access by implementing programs and plans that focus on the widespread secure adoption and usage of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). ” It is important to encourage the usage of digital applications by consumers, businesses, and public institutions and we are working to establish and maintain secured digital platforms, applications, and systems in Ghana.
The government believes that having a SIM database and CEIR with integrity is a key step towards enhancing our digitalization”.
She encouraged all subscribers to begin getting their national IDs to have a smooth and easy registration process.
“Consumers and the general public must be empowered with knowledge and insights to help them understand the need for re-registration, the process, and the requirement for registration. As partners in the industry, we invite all media houses to help achieve this objective and we count on your support. A detailed publicity exercise will be conducted on these issues in the coming days and we entreat the media to partner government to make this registration exercise a success for our collective good, she said.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com /Kofi Atakora
