Following the successful implementation of the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system on July 1, 2021, which significantly curtailed illegal mobile phone entries, authorities in Bangladesh are set to resume phone set registrations.
The NEIR system, introduced last year, played a pivotal role in virtually eliminating the influx of illegal mobile phones, providing a boost to the country’s legitimate mobile phone manufacturers. Prior to NEIR, approximately 53% of mobile phones in the market were from the grey market.
This innovative system compelled buyers to opt for legally sourced mobile phones, both domestically and internationally, reducing the prevalence of the grey market. Despite initial success, the registration system was temporarily halted after a brief operational period.
Sheikh Riaz Ahmed, Commissioner of the Spectrum Management Department at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), announced, “The mobile phone set registration system will be relaunched on July 1.”
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak emphasized the importance of preventing the use of illegal mobile handsets to boost local production, employment, and exports during a recent views-exchange meeting at the BTRC.
Industry insiders reveal a decline in annual mobile phone sales from over 35 million to 20 million, attributing this drop to the prevalence of the grey market. The reinstatement of the NEIR system is seen as a crucial step to revive local mobile industry sustainability.
BTRC is currently in the process of assessing the rules and regulations from the initial launch, including pre-registration for mobile users, timelines for traders, baggage rules for imported phones, and regulations for gifted phones. Additionally, BTRC aims to introduce a customer verification process to determine the validity of mobile phone sets.
In collaboration with Synesis IT, BTRC initially launched the NEIR system, offering provisions for users to re-register illegal phones and phased-out consequences for non-compliance. The system stored data for phones on a mobile operator’s network before August 1, 2019, and those legally imported afterward, while imposing strict measures against cloned or phones with fake IMEI numbers. As the NEIR system prepares for its relaunch, it aims to reinforce regulatory measures and ensure the integrity of the mobile phone market in Bangladesh.
