The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has said that unregistered mobile phones will become unusable after October 20, a local media outlet reported on Saturday.
The mobile phones will become unusable as Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) will become active.
DIRBS aims to counter the sale of counterfeit and smuggled phones.
“We recommend that consumers buy only PTA-approved phone sets after Oct 20. A consumer should text the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number printed on the box of a new handset to 8484. But he or she should pay for the handset only after (s)he receives reply that the set is compliant with the regulatory standards,” said PTA Director General Services Talib Dogar.