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UK Wireless Carriers Step Up to Prevent Mobile Phone Theft

12:10 am on July 31, 2006 | Category: Business, Cell Phones, Mobile Devices, Wireless

The UKâ€™s top five wireless carriers have pledged to fight mobile phone theft by disabling all handsets reported stolen within 48 hours.

This plan was signed by the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum (MICAF), which includes Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile, and 3. It is also being supported by the British government, which has promised Â£1.3 million to the creation of a national phone crime unit.

“I believe the public should be free to carry valuable items, such as mobile phones and MP3 players, on the streets without fear of becoming a target for robbers,” commented Home Secretary, John Reid.

Although phone blocking technology is already widely used to combat theft, this is the first time that networks will be held accountable for stopping crime.

“Mobile operators are now answerable and will get named and shamed by us if they fail to stick to the charter,” explained Jack Wraith, Chairman of MICAF.

Police figures suggest that the increase in mobile phone use among young people has contributed to an increase in the number of muggings and street robberies over the past few years. Authorities are hoping that the new MICAF agreement will take away a lot of the incentive for this sort of crime.

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