Relax, the rumor that PTA is blocking all phones is false.
There have been WhatsApp forward messages going around saying that if you do not complete your cell phone’s IMEI registration process, it will mean that PTA will block your phone.
This was further aggravated by PTA sending official messages out saying that non-compliant will stop working after 20th October, 2018.
This lead to a barrage of people trying to get their phones registered by sending a message to the number 8484. But if you were using your phone for revenue generating activities (i.e. calls and texts) before the 20th October, 2018 in Pakistan your phone’s IMEI was valid and automatically registered. So you really didn’t even need to text your IMEI to a particular number.
So if you are actively using your phone, you have nothing to worry about since after the 20th your phone will be noted as compliant by the PTA.
So everyone celebrating, calm down.
Device IMEI is vaild😍😂#alhumdulillah#blessed#IMEIGOALS
— Maleeka (@Oyeghina4) October 15, 2018
Device IMEI is original and valid.#Allhumdulilah #mobilegoals #blessed #BARI_O_ZIMMA #PARTY #IMEIGOALS #NAYA_PAKISTAN ❤️❤️🔥❤️❤️
— Popololo® (@Dear_zindagiiii) October 16, 2018
And no, if you had your phone imported or have an iPhone, your phone will not automatically stop working.
If you live in Pakistan. And you have an iPhone PTA about to cancel your phone sksksksk
— yeolie (@zabarzairyeol) October 16, 2018
PTA is going to block thousands of phones on Oct 20 if they can't be verified by them . How many Pakistanis can understand how to tackle this problem. Another attempt to bring bad name to PTI. An urgent wake up call for minister concerned
— anisahmad (@anisahmad1234p) October 15, 2018
You should only be worried if you have a phone will was smuggled through illegal channels. So if chachu ji brought your phone from America, there is nothing to worry about if it was before the 20th of October and you have inserted a sim in it and have been actively using it.
And if it happens that your chachu ji is bringing the latest iPhone for you after the 20th of October, you don’t need to worry about that either.
People will be able to bring 5 cell phone sets from abroad if they are for personal purposes such as gifting and not commercial purposes such as reselling. They will just have to declare the phones and get a certificate with which they will register the phone later on. Plus they will probably have to pay some customs on the phone.
You only need to worry if you are using a smuggled phone or you yourself smuggle phones.
But if you have a refurbished phone or a shady Chinese one, chances are they will be blocked come 20th October. It’s a good idea to go to the PTA DIRBS websites and make sure if you have an invalid IMEI number, you alert PTA to have it fixed.
The only reason PTA is blocking phones is to curb smuggling and terrorist activities facilitated by illegal phones.
So if you make your livelihood selling smuggled phones, you’re screwed.
So don’t worry, if you have a valid IMEI number you have nothing to worry about. But of course, double checking is never a bad idea.
What do you think about all these precautions? Let us know in the comments below.
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