Mobile Phones IMEI blocking a lost phone abroad?

[Gargamel]

hi all, just lost my nokia e61i phone when i was jumping around having a great time at a carnival abroad...

it was an ex-company phone that i used to have in england connected to Virgin P.A.Y.G, but since i've moved abroad i just stick a local SIM card in it.

I've already called in and blocked the SIM with the local mobile network, but i was wondering if I can block the actual phone handet as well?

So even if somebody bins my SIM and inserts a new one, they wouldn't be able to use the handset either - at least not without spoofing a new IMEI number or something. Basically I'd like to make my lost/stolen phone as difficult as possible for anyone to re-sell or use again.

(thankfully I do know the IMEI number... fortunately the little voice in the back of my head did tell me to do a phone backup on Saturday so i've got a backup of all my phone data on my laptop!!! Phew...)

Any advice or info would be appreciated. thanks

 

[wozzo]

Doubt it, the networks claim to share IMEI blacklists throughout Europe, but they seem to only share within the uk.

Im in Ireland and am happily using a IMEI blacklisted iPhone which i got on ebay from the UK.

 

[leemoo]

Just tell your network provider your imei no. and then they will block it for you

 

[Gargamel]

Just tell your network provider your imei no. and then they will block it for you

hi, so i call the local network operator to block it? even though the phone handset is nothing to do with them?

 

[wozzo]

Like i said they can add the handests IMEI to a Blacklist, which means it wont be able to register onto any network in the UK.

But the thing is its already outside the UK, so best just forget about it.

 

[BIG-HOL]

yip they cant do anything if the phones outside the uk!

 

[leemoo]

hi, so i call the local network operator to block it? even though the phone handset is nothing to do with them?

Yeh you can call them i think and they will put it on the list for blocking but looking at what some of the other guys have said it probably won't make any difference for outside the UK.

 

[Gargamel]

Yeh you can call them i think and they will put it on the list for blocking but looking at what some of the other guys have said it probably won't make any difference for outside the UK.

Hi guys, thanks for the advice - I'm not really fussed about the UK as the phone was lost down here in Central America...

...so I guess how I should have phrased my question was - can a local network operator (e.g. my network here in Central America) put an IMEI block on a handset that I brought over from UK and is nothing to do with them???

(and before anyone says "why dont you just call them & ask" - i will do tomorrow but it's a public holiday here today so nobodys manning the customer service line - they're all out at carnival too!)

 

[edcase]

In your situation I wouldn't bother blocking it, just let whoever finds it enjoy it. After all you will gain nothing from blocking it (unless you are required to do so for insurance purposes).

I know people who have had lost phones blocked, then found the phone again. The networks will never unblock them again so you have to buy another.

 

[Gargamel]

In your situation I wouldn't bother blocking it, just let whoever finds it enjoy it. After all you will gain nothing from blocking it (unless you are required to do so for insurance purposes).

I know people who have had lost phones blocked, then found the phone again. The networks will never unblock them again so you have to buy another.

yeah i was thinking the same thing mate!

thankfully it wasn't a really expensive phone and i haven't lost any numbers either. so it's been a not-too-painful reminder for me to pay better attention to my stuff when i'm out!

It was kinda funny afterwards coz as well as blocking the SIM, I had to jump online and change all of my passwords for facebook, eBay, Skype, Gmail, MSN etc... coz I had them all setup on the phone and its one of those phones that you can power-up 'offline' without a SIM and connect it to WiFi.

Anyway time to go buy a new phone! (or who knows... if i go to play a few games of pool in one of the seedier bars, I might actually get offered my phone for sale!! lol!!)

Thanks everyone for the advice and info... I'm off for a game of pool!