Telecom Lead America: Telecom major AT&T is
going to implement a program to block the use of stolen mobile phones on its
network.
The move by AT&T is a part of an effort by US
carriers to clamp down on increasing theft of smartphones.
The service provider has initiated a stolen phone
database to avert stolen devices accessing wireless networks.
The move will allow the company to track devices that
have been reported stolen, making it more difficult for thieves to sell the
devices on the black market.
AT&T will install this facility in few days.” We are
working toward a cross-carrier solution later this year,” said Mark Siegel,
spokesperson of AT&T.
In April this year, the US authorities and cellphone
carriers announced an effort to limit incentives to stolen smartphones, which
can be worth hundreds of dollars.
In April, the Federal Communications Commission said it
was working with police departments and wireless carriers to create
a database to combat cellphone theft nationwide.
According to F.C.C, over the last year, one out of three
robberies in the United States was related to the theft of a mobile phone.
In order to block the use of stolen mobile phones, four
leading operators of the US had agreed to set up their own databases of stolen
phones within six months.
Additionally, these carriers are also aim for a common
registry within 18 months. The movie will enable the customers to easily
report a stolen phone with carriers that will then refuse to activate it under
a new owner.
AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and US Cellular to launch
Samsung Approved for Enterprise phone
Last month, Samsung Telecommunications America announced
that its SAFE-branded smartphone will be available at AT&T, Sprint,
T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and US Cellular in coming months.
The first SAFE (Samsung Approved for Enterprise) -branded
smartphone in the U.S. will be the Galaxy S III.
editor@telecomlead.com
