Synesis IT to set up infrastructure to detect illegal mobile phones

Highlights:

• 10 companies participated in the bidding process to set up National Equipment Identity Register
• The system will restrict SIM cards in illegal phones
• Synesis IT won the tender by proposing Tk29.7crore as project cost
• A contract in this regard will be signed very soon

Synesis IT Ltd, a local private information technology company, is going to set up the country's first infrastructure to detect illegal mobile handsets that are active in the market.

Through a competitive bidding process, Synesis IT secured the contract to supply equipment, and install and operate the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system, which will restrict the SIM cards in illegal phones.

A source at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said 10 telecommunication companies participated in the bidding process. Synesis IT won the contract for the project as the lowest bidder by proposing Tk29.7crore as the project cost.

Md Jahurul Haque, chairman of the BTRC, said on Sunday that a contract with Synesis IT would be signed very soon and the project would be launched in January 2021.

"After evaluating the tender, we have already sent the file to the ministry. We hope that the project will start soon with the ministry's approval," he said.  

As part of its move to crack down on illegal imports of mobile phone sets and duty evasion, the BTRC has been working to launch the NEIR for several years.

At the beginning of last year, the telecom regulator launched the country's first database of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of mobile phones.

According to the BTRC, around 118 million IMEI numbers were added to the database over the last three years in consultation with phone importers, operators and Bangladeshi mobile manufacturers.

From the database, customers can check the legality of imported handsets simply by sending a message.

On February 18 this year, the regulatory commission floated the tender to set up the NEIR system as it has not yet been able to disconnect illegal phones from the networks.

After setting up the technology, the regulatory body will be able to disconnect illegal phones, which are not registered with the IMEI database, from mobile networks.

Currently, biometric registration is mandatory for using Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards. The same process will be mandatory for new phone registrations to synchronise the mobile device and the SIM card, said officials at the BTRC.

Therefore, an opportunity will be given to the users to register the phones that were bought before August 2019 and for that, buyers should keep the purchase receipts and related documents to themselves.

Synesis IT has over 11 years of solid experience in e-health and governance, and call centre solutions. One of its initiatives is Tender Bazar, the largest tender portal that brings bidders and inviters together to exchange business procurement information.