The law and enforcement agencies have recently identified a large number of mobile phones frequently being smuggled to Pakistan through Dubai and other countries, causing losses worth billions of rupees.
There has been a sharp increase in mobile phone smuggling amid surging import taxes and foreign exchange rates.
These smuggled smartphones are being PTA-approved through cheaper and illegal methods such as CPID (consumer product identification) IMEI repair and patch approvals. As a result, the government of Pakistan has shortlisted hundreds of smugglers and shops that patch smartphones through these methods.
Alongside the government, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will also be initiating a crackdown against a popular website (cpidserver.com) that provides CPID approval services worldwide.
CPID approvals are a common method for unofficially obtaining PTA approvals at highly affordable rates, making it an ideal solution for using SIM cards on flagship phones. It is a method that unlocks the device’s original firmware without having to root the device, effectively removing the SIM lock. It changes the IMEI number of a smartphone through software that is connected to a remote paid server.
In simple words, this method replaces the IMEI number of a smartphone, which is the phone’s unique 15-digit ID, with that of an older device that is already PTA-approved, making it seem as if you’re using an officially approved device. This means that a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be registered as a Nokia 3310.
Patch approvals involve similar techniques, except the phone remains limited to a single software patch, barring the user from updating their phone.
Sources in the government told Propakistani that PTA will be pursuing action against cpidserver.com through appropriate channels since it provides services across the world to a multitude of devices.
While this does not signal the absolute end of CPID or patch approvals in Pakistan, it is likely that PTA and the government will widen their crackdown scale in the future to curb illegal approvals of smuggled devices, especially after shortlisting the perpetrators.
