The much-awaited CEIR tracking system, known as the Sanchar Saathi Portal has been launched by Ashwini Vaishnaw. The Union Minister for Communications, India, introduced it on 17th May 2023 during an event in New Delhi.
About
It would cover all telecom circles and shall be accessible countrywide. However, the portal would be active in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, and the North East region initially. The rest of India should be able to use this portal within this quarter itself.
The Sanchar Saathi portal is a great initiative by the Department of Telecommunications. It aims to enhance the security of mobile phones and raise awareness among people about such initiatives by the Government of India.
Offerings
The portal offers several modules including Central Equipment Identity Register or CEIR to track stolen/lost devices and block them as well across all telecom networks. The portal also offers up-to-date information on telecom, end-user security, and information security.
The Telecom Analytics for Fraud Management and Consumer Protection or TAFCOP module empowers the users to confirm the number of cell phone connections in their name. Accordingly, people can report any unauthorized or unnecessary connections.
Apart from the facility to track lost devices, the portal offers SIM card access and the option to block unauthorized usage. Thus, the owner can take immediate action if the SIM card is used by anybody else.
Watch this YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET3Aq2sowBQ
The Government of India has announced a new requirement for mobile devices recently. It is to have the 15-digit IMEI numbers disclosed before selling the mobile phones. This shall prevent the influx of unauthorized devices into the network. The CEIR system and telecom companies shall have access to the IMEI number and its linked cell phone number. The same is already being used in some states in India to track stolen or lost mobile phones through the CEIR system.
