MACRA introduces CEIR system to combat mobile phone theft

* The system will protect mobile phone subscribers from handset theft, combat mobile money fraud

* As well as identify fake or cloned mobile devices

By Sheminah Nkhoma, MANA

Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has introduced Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system as a security measure of protecting mobile devices from theft and fraud.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA), MACRA spokesperson, Wezzie Nkhoma-Somba said they devised the system to curtail problems of rampant theft of mobile devices in the country.

“After seeing difficulties faced by the public when they lose their gadgets we came up with a system which will protect mobile phone subscribers from handset theft, combat mobile money fraud and identify fake or cloned mobile devices,” she said.

Nkhoma-Nsomba added that the system will provide all privacy as it stores and utilizes International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEls) that identify the actual handset worldwide not Sim card numbers and all transactions in the Sim card are under the privacy and security policies of mobile network operator.

She, therefore, said it is only upon receipt of a report from a subscriber or the Malawi Police Service that CEIR will be invoked to trace, block and blacklist the mobile device linked to the report using its IMEI.

Nkhoma-Somba argued the public to register for CEIR assuring that it will enhance security of mobile phone users and that of their handsets.

“This system empowers mobile phone owners by allowing them to trace or block their handset if is lost or stolen,” she said.

Reacting to the news, a student from the National College of Information Technology (NACIT), Ireen Banda said it is a welcomed initiative as the county is already at high risk of theft and fraud hence it will end the malpractice. 

MACRA is implementing the project in partnership with the country’s two giant mobile communications providers — Airtel Malawi and TNM Plc.

Meanwhile, MACRA announced on Saturday that quality of services provided by mobile networks will improve after six months in liaison with with Airtel and TNM.

This was pledged by Director General, Daud Suleman in Mzuzu during the opening of MACRA’s office complex called Zwangendaba House, saying: “As a regulator, our number one priority is to protect the customers and improve service delivery. We are also adding they have rolled out a project called ‘Better Quality of Service for Malawi’.

Suleman also announced that the authority has invested US$10 million to set up systems which will enable them to know what time there was bad reception on phones and what time calls were dropping.

“As regulator, these systems will help us be proactive. We are coming from an era where regulation was gossip since we had to be told that calls are dropping somewhere.

“With these systems, we will now have hard evidence and when we approach service providers when they have bad service at a certain time we will have evidence of that hence there is no way they can escape,” he said.

In his remarks, MACRA’s Audit and Finance Committee chairperson, Alekeni Menyani said they want to ensure there is universal access to services in line with digitalisation policy contained in MW2063. national vision.