AI-based portal to trace and block stolen phones

What do you do when your phone is stolen or lost? Most probably, you will try calling the mobile number which you used on the phone. If the SIM is changed your hope of getting back the lost phone is dashed! However, now you have the option to trace and block your stolen phone through a government-run portal.

The Department of Telecom on Tuesday launched an artificial intelligence-based portal called Sanchar Saathi that enables users to trace and block their lost or stolen phones, even if a new SIM is inserted.

“If you lose your mobile phone, then you can visit this portal. There will be some identity verification, requirement of undertaking and immediately after this the portal will interact with law enforcement agencies and telecom service providers and block your lost mobile phone,” said Union Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

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While the technology giants like Google and Apple also offer the features of detection and tracking of devices, they cannot disable or block them.

Vaishnaw said the government has created a proper legal regulatory framework by which the mobile phones either lost or stolen can be disabled. “Only law enforcement authorities can disable the device and it should be done through a legal procedure,” he said.

The regulatory procedures include CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) – for blocking stolen/lost mobiles; know your mobile connections – to know mobile connections registered in your name; and ASTR (Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Solution for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification) – to identify fraudulent subscribers.

Director General of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) S P Kochhar said the new regulatory framework will help in reducing the incidents of mobile phone thefts and detect anomalies to help identify and prevent misuse and frauds.

“Citizens will be able to know the mobile connections issued in their name, get unrequired connections disconnected, block/trace lost mobile
phones and check the genuineness of devices while buying a new/old mobile phone,” said Kochhar.

With 117 crore subscribers, India has emerged as the second largest telecom ecosystem in the world. In addition to communication, mobile phones are being used for banking, entertainment, e-learning, healthcare and availing government services among others.

The minister said the new initiatives would help in protecting users from various frauds like identity theft, forged KYC and banking frauds apart from preventing the theft of mobile devices.