Unified IMEI base in Russia

• Cell phones (Russian market)

2022: FSB asked the Ministry of Digital Science to create a single database of factory phone codes

In early June 2022, it became known about the recommendation of the Federal Security Service (FSB) to create a single centralized database of IMEI codes for mobile devices in Russia. The Ministry of Digital Science will deal with this project, in particular, the department will prepare regulatory legal acts that would allow the system to be introduced.

According to Kommersant, the FSB explains the need for a single database of factory phone codes by the desire to "increase the effectiveness of operational-search measures," as well as the need to "suppress illegal actions using mobile phones."

The Ministry of Digital Science, on the recommendation of the FSB, is preparing to develop a unified database of IMEI codes assigned to mobile phones

The Research Institute, subordinate to the Ministry of Digital Science, considered the creation of the IMEI base, even when it was proposed to combat the illegal import of equipment with its help. Now parallel imports are legalized, and the new register will allow security officials to associate the device with its specific owner, experts interviewed by the newspaper believe.

Mobile Research Group analyst Eldar Murtazin doubts the effectiveness of the FSB's idea to create a unified IMEI code base for mobile devices in Russia.

This will not allow us to somehow reduce crime or something like that. This is not done in most countries. The only solution is that the state controls where the devices come from, but this is a harmful story, since with parallel imports, the devices can come as they like, they can have repeated IMEI numbers, which is wrong according to the standard, but possible. Based on this, in the current economic situation, when they will drag everything from everywhere, it is definitely impossible to do it, "Murtazin emphasized in a conversation with Izvestia

Manufacturers and sellers of devices will support the initiative to create a database of IMEI codes, "if the emphasis is placed on combating theft of phones from end users and on the ability to remotely block the device," the Association of Trading Companies and Manufacturers of Electrical Household and Computer Equipment RATEK reported.^[1]

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