Stealing cell phones and selling them without any consequences is not a new practice in the Dominican Republic. For more than 15 years authorities and telephone companies have announced several actions to prevent this from happening.
One of the biggest problems facing the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel), is the number of dealers and people who activate cell phones and sell Chips behind the Telecommunications Act, 153-98.
In mid-2006 Indotel announced that it had authorized 92 dealers to resell telecommunications services, Indicating that only in the first half of 2005 73 thousand 878 series of stolen and / or lost mobile phones were reported, calling on citizens to report the thefts to the User Assistance Center (CAU).
At that time the Dominican Telecommunications Institute issued resolution number 092-02, which establishes control mechanisms to detect, prevent and sanction the activation of mobile phones that are subject to theft or loss.
This provision provides that mobile phone service providers, their representatives, resellers, distributors or any person authorized to market these services to the public, may not activate mobile phones that have been reported stolen or misplaced by their respective owners. or tenants.
In addition, on several occasions, the Indotel and the Department of High-Tech Crime and Crime Investigation (DICAT) of the National Police raided several mobile phone shops dedicated to “laundering cell phones with denied series. , change the “IMEI: International Mobile Equipment Identity” and activate stolen mobiles.
Another measure announced by the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications in 2014, was the ban on the sale of chips without presenting the certificate.
In 2015, Indotel and telephone companies, in conjunction with the Global Mobile Ecosystem Association (GSMA), signed an agreement to prevent stolen phones from being activated.
The agreement stated that mobile operators would connect to the GSMA stolen equipment database, to exchange IMEI device identification numbers and thus block the activation of reported equipment on other networks.
In 2016 and in the face of the rise in mobile phone thefts, Indotel announced 8 measures that included: Write down the data of the mobile computer, such as the SIM card pin and the IMEI; when passing through the streets, mobile equipment must be stored in a place that is least visible; use hands-free tools (speaker, hearing aids) when you need to answer a call.
Also, back up the information stored on your device; protect your computer with passwords; install the tracking application or program, in case of theft or loss report the mobile equipment to the service provider. This allows you to disable the option to make and receive calls and change access passwords.
In February 2017 and in conjunction with the launch of its new portal, Indotel, it reported that it would have an app for citizens to check if mobile phones have been stolen. It is on its page and works by typing the IMEI of the cell phones. (Https://gsma.indotel.gob.do/respuesta-de-imei/).
new measures
By February 6, 2021, Indotel announced that service providers must install equipment for people to go and activate a cell phone, such as photographs and the placement of their fingerprints.
The new president of the Dominican Telecommunications Institute, Nelson Arroyo, informed Listín Diari that by means of various resolutions, a record will be kept of the IMEI of the mobile phones at the time of being activated, to determine that it has not been stolen.