Criminalizing of mobile phone unblocking sought

**ghosthunter** · March 23rd, 2004 08:41 AM

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is set to recommend to Congress that it pass a law forbidding the unblocking of mobile phones in order to address mobile phone theft.

Unblocking involves the removal of a mobile operator's locking mechanism from a mobile phone, allowing the phone to be used on any mobile phone network.

NTC Commissioner Ronald Solis said they were drafting a recommendation that would be submitted to Congress when it convenes after the May elections.

**zero** · March 23rd, 2004 09:21 AM

ok lang, just don't put additional tax on our text messages we send.

**odell** · March 23rd, 2004 09:39 AM

agree!..

maya un taxn a yan e parang parehos na sa tawag ang presyo.

**yebo** · March 23rd, 2004 12:41 PM

YES i agree, BUT...

it should only be on phones that are reported stolen to the mobile phone service providers. pag hindi e di lahat na ng phones na mabibili sa market naka-sim lock na di ba? e di hindi ka na pwede magpalit ng sim card pag gusto mo palitan yung mobile provider mo?

also, they should include in that law that all sim cards be registered with complete name and address of the user. para naman mawala yung mga prank calls and texts, and also to be able to trace the originators of malicious messages. another reason for this is that kidnappers, drug lords, the NPA, Abu Sayyaf and MILF use mobile phones to communicate. if their cell phones are registered then they can easily be monitored (covered by court warrant of course!).

in Singapore you can not just buy a sim card, you need to show proof of ID so they can register your name with the sim card.

so i'll just wait for them to draft the law before i vote on this. pag wala yun first condition then the answer is NO.

**mazdamazda** · March 23rd, 2004 12:46 PM

huh?

anyone who authors that bill is surely committing political suicide.

btw, why don't they just implement the IMEI blocking more strictly?

**pajerokid** · March 23rd, 2004 02:44 PM

The IMEI should be reported and acted on by the NTC before the theives change it. Otherwise, it's an excercise in futility as a changed IMEI cant be blocked

Agree ako in general, yebo's comments noted.

**mazdamazda** · March 23rd, 2004 03:36 PM

pk, for Nokias dba only DCT3 phones can have their IMEIs changed? AFAIK the DCT4 phones can't be changed.

**mbt** · March 23rd, 2004 05:46 PM

well, medyo OT lang...

but i find myself agreeing in principle with SMS taxation. just imagine guys, our country is in a huge budget deficit, and we can't keep complaining about it if we're not willing to pay taxes. if the tax on each SMS sent were to be pegged at 1 centavo, a texter who sends 750 messages a month would be looking at a tax of P7.50 per month. i don't think that's objectionable at all, and the aggregate theoretical collection of the government would run into the hundreds of millions per year regardless.

of course, people can say na kinukurakot lang naman yung tax revenues and such, but then, kung ganyan attitude ng lahat ng pinoy, we're better off without a government at all, i suppose. i guess the thing is, pinoys speak of corruption so casually like it's a reality that must be accepted, when in fact, it's a reality that we can choose NOT to accept.

**BlueBimmer** · March 15th, 2005 10:21 AM

panu to lumabas sa frontpage e wala naman nagpost!??!

**cyberdoc95** · March 15th, 2005 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is set to recommend to Congress that it pass a law forbidding the unblocking of mobile phones in order to address mobile phone theft.

Unblocking involves the removal of a mobile operator's locking mechanism from a mobile phone, allowing the phone to be used on any mobile phone network.

NTC Commissioner Ronald Solis said they were drafting a recommendation that would be submitted to Congress when it convenes after the May elections.

Ano na ang resulta nito?! Na-approve ba ito?!