-It certainly is increasing," NSW Police Detective Inspector Alan Keane said of mobile phone theft. -Mobile phones by their very nature are valuable, portable and easily concealed and therefore an easy target for thieves." Furthermore, the fact that mobile phones can so easily be connected and used when stolen is why mobile phone theft so popular, Keane added.
Every mobile phone has a unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) that is transmitted along with phone call details on telco networks, enabling carriers to block and effectively ban stolen mobile phones from their networks, according to Keane. At the moment, however, telcos don't take any steps to prevent stolen mobiles coming back on their networks, he said.
-That's our big beef we have with them at the moment," Keane told ZDNet Australia. -I would like to see the telcos -- the Telstras, the Optuses, the Vodafones -- ultilising the technology to ban stolen handsets on their networks." However, Keane conceded that as it stands carriers make money out of stolen mobile phone use and banning stolen phones from their networks would -have an affect on their turnover".
The Australian Mobile Telecommunictions Association's Ross Monaghan denied that the mobile telecommunications industry reaped any financial gain from mobile phone theft. -I totally reject that," he said. The suggestion there, he said, would be that if people didn't acquire stolen mobile phones they wouldn't buy a mobile phone, which isn't the case. -It's in the industry's best interest to have more mobile phones bought," he said.
Monaghan also denied that the technology to block mobile phones from networks is available to carriers. There's a misperception that carriers can -flick a switch and turn off mobile phones," he said. "That's just not the case...It's not done anywhere in the world." Even if it were possible, Monaghan argued against Keane's claim that it would solve the problem of mobile phone theft.
What would resolve the issue of mobile phones being ripped off, he stressed, is consumers taking more responsibility for their property.
Users can program the security features on mobile phones so that if it is lost or stolen no one else can use it. -That in effect is what the police are saying should happen," Monaghan said, but it's individual subscribers that can do it, not the carriers, he added. -The bottom line is people should treat their phone like a credit card," Monaghan said.
Monaghan also pointed out that criminal activity is clearly the realm of the police, however, according to NSW Police's Keane, the way the market works at the moment, particularly in Australia, -it's very difficult for us to achieve our goals".
From a police perspective Keane said he would like to see telcos -become better corporate citizens and assist us".
Monaghan said the industry is keen to protect customers and work with the police to stop and minimise theft of mobile phones.
The pair will -workshop" the issues alongside other industry representatives in meetings scheduled for February.
HAS THIS MONAGHAN CHARACTER GOT RADIATION DAMAGE?
COMMON SENSE TELLS US THAT IF A PHONE IS STOLEN AND RECONNECTED TO A NETWORK THE ORIGINAL USER IS FORCED TO RE-PURCHASE A REPLACEMENT PHONE.
THIS NOW ACCOUNTS FOR TWO NEW CONNECTIONS TO CARRIERS AND THE SALE OF A NEW HANDSET.
IF ANYONE CAN FAULT KEANE'S ASSUMPTION I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR.