top button
Flag Notify
    Connect to us
      Site Registration

Site Registration

configurable - Phone locking with SIM[s]

+1 vote
328 views

Usually Iphones etc are locked with some operator e.g. AT&T etc which then onwards cannot be used with others unless these gets unlocked with s/w upgrade etc.

My question is about making this locking configurable with a SIM[s] and not with an operator. This is to address the phone thefts etc. This way the users can lock the phone with a particular SIM. This locking can be removed later by users themselves. This may also need the operators/phone manufacturers support based on the mechanism. Here any s/w only mechanism may be forcefully overridden upon the wholesale reformat hence some device level support may be needed.

I am not sure if this mechanism already exists.

posted Jul 2, 2013 by Hariom Sharma

Share this question
Facebook Share Button Twitter Share Button LinkedIn Share Button

2 Answers

+1 vote

More theft more new phone will be sold, so it is not in operator or phone vendor interest.

answer Jul 2, 2013 by anonymous
+1 vote

In order to prevent thefts there are network level methods implemented in the GSM standard. That works in the following way, every time a phone is connects to a GSM network it sends the GSM carrier its IMEI. The carrier can then decide to refuse to offer GSM service to that specific device because the IMEI has been black listed as belonging to a stolen device. It's as simple as that. Subsequent factory resets or flashes of new firmware will not change the device IMEI so the method is safe from most device tinkering. I'm saying most, because it is possible to change the IMEI on a device, but that is extremely difficult.
In US ATT, Verizon and T-Mobile have agreed on using a shared IMEI black list database. In Australia and UK IMEI black list databases have been in use for a few years now.
To conclude, the best idea is probably to report your device's IMEI to your operator as it is by far the most effective method. Having a software solution like you suggest can help, but because it's easier to circumvent, it is going to be less effective. Furthermore a network level solution will have an easier time reaching public understanding and the 'no setup' part of it makes it more desirable.

answer Jul 2, 2013 by anonymous
Similar Questions
+2 votes

I am writing a messaging app in android studio. When I hit the send button it should show me the option to select a sim card if the device has dual sim. If not it should not show the dialog box and should select the default by its own. What should be used for this scenario?

+2 votes

I am writing an Android application that will need to read data from the phone SIM card such as messages stored in the SIM card.
I am stuck where do I get a start tutorial or guide.

+1 vote

I am trying to detect Cellular signals without an installed SIM card. The phone I'm using is a Motorola Nexus 6. And the code I am using is below -

tm  = (TelephonyManager) getSystemService(Context.TELEPHONY_SERVICE);
List<CellInfo> cInfoList = tm.getAllCellInfo();  

for (final CellInfo info : cInfoList) {
  if (info instanceof CellInfoGsm) 
     sR =  "GSM: " + gsm.toString() + "\n" + ((CellInfoGsm) info).getCellIdentity();
  else if (info instanceof CellInfoCdma) 
     sR =  "CDMA: " + cdma.toString() + "\n" + ((CellInfoCdma) info).getCellIdentity();
  else if (info instanceof CellInfoLte) 
     sR =  "LTE: " + lte.toString() + "\n" + ((CellInfoLte) info).getCellIdentity();
  else if (info instanceof CellInfoWcdma) 
     sR =  "WCDMA: " + wcdma.toString() + "\n" + ((CellInfoWcdma) info).getCellIdentity();

When the SIM slot is empty, cInfoList contains only objects of CellInfoGsm and CellInfoWcdma, which are 3G. If I insert a SIM card and let it connect, then cInfoList contains only instances of CellInfoLte, which is 4G.

Can you explain me why I cannot detect LTE cell networks without a SIM card and why I cannot detect 3G networks with a SIM card?

+1 vote

Is it possible to create a tool to switch sim 1 and sim 2 , on and off separately. If possible with a timer?
I want my sim2 , business calls , shut down when workday is over and on when in start in the morning.

+1 vote

I'm using uri to read the contacts that are stored in mobile. Now I want display those names in autocomplete. Please explain me how to add uri in AutoCompleteTextView?

...