Why are operators reluctant to track stolen mobile phones?

Question

"Someone tell me why our Network Providers are reluctant to run IMEI tracking to help recover stolen phones as well as help in fighting crime."

Question asked as a comment on http://answers.techzim.co.zw/7259/ximex-mall-phones and I decided to post as an independent question.

Answer 1

Two factors come to head:

1. Lack of police involvement and understanding of IT. Stealing a phone is a crime which police must be found at the forefront driving force to stop it. They should be exploring ways and means of getting it under control effectively stopping it from spreading and working with ISPs is one assured way to stop it, but its not happening.

2. Morality. Our society is now full of corruption to the extend that people are no longer ashamed to be seen buying and selling stolen goods. If you buy stolen goods because they are cheap, how then are you going to stop thieves from stealing. To them its a business being driven by demand.

On the other hand, our ISPs always want to be seen as socially responsible. If there is enough public outcry about phone being stolen and used on certain networks freely, that network provider will be forced stop it because they might not want to be seen as associating with thieves or criminal activities which can be bad for there image,

Comments

Police are actually involved. They apparently submit the identify of the phone,  together with the police case report to the operators but, according at least to one officer i asked, "it usually doesn't yield anything because they don't come back to us. You have to know someone there who can push it for you!"

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In that case it have to be made into law and any provider who cannot respond in a timely manner can be heavily fined or jailed or both.

The EU made there isp to implement it europe wide and that dramatically cut the number of stolen phones.

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"You have to know someone there who can push it for you"

This is very true. I have experienced it and had to go through a friend

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you got your device back tinm@n?

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Every wireless service provider blocks reported stolen cell phones. Forget about getting the phone back but call your provider and block it! They'll stop the bad guys from enjoying.

Answer 2

It has a lot to do with the system that they are using and the amount it costs for the extra functionality.

Further, there are a lot of "grey" phones on the market whereby if they block them there will be a great loss on the part of the network operators.