C&WJ will utilize an Equipment Identity Register (EIR), to “blacklist” stolen or lost handsets once the Company authenticates a theft or lost report from a customer. The blacklisted device will then be denied service on the network, rendering the instrument useless. 

Cable & Wireless Jamaica will share its 'blacklist' with the other mobile operators in the industry so that they can make the necessary arrangements to prevent any blacklisted phones from working on their networks. 

C&WJ’s action comes in response to requests from the government for mobile service providers to implement measures that will help to alleviate the rampant mobile phone theft activity, which has been plaguing the country. CEO Phil Green said his company acquired an EIR in an effort to do its part to combat the problem and also to offer an added level of security to its customers and the general public. 

“Unfortunately, as mobile phones have become more sophisticated and expensive they have also become more attractive to thieves. As a company we have had to take responsible and decisive action to help ensure the safety of the public,” the CEO explained. 

“With the deployment of our EIR we are providing a higher level of security for our customers because once they report a phone stolen, no one else will be able to use that handset on our network or with any other service provider in Jamaica,” he added. 

Mobile service providers in several countries including the United Kingdom, South Africa and several European nations, currently have EIRs operational as a means of discouraging cell phone theft. An EIR is able to read the international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) number unique to each GSM handset and block the particular device from making and receiving calls on an operator’s mobile network once it has been disabled. 

Increasingly, there is collaboration among global GSM wireless providers to share information on blacklisted phones to ensure that phones stolen in a particular country cannot be used overseas. 

Cable & Wireless is also encouraging its mobile customers to report handset thefts or loss to its call centre as soon as they occur so the Company can blacklist the phone and ensure that subscribers retain their original phone numbers.  Customers wishing to report an instrument should call 1-888-225-5295.