In recent times, there’s been a huge problem cropping up in Pakistan – loads of mobile phones are being smuggled into the country. Guess where they’re coming from? Places like Dubai and other countries.
Why Is This Happening?
It seems like the main reason behind this sudden spike in phone smuggling is the crazy high import taxes and the fluctuating foreign exchange rates. It’s got people looking for cheaper ways to get their hands on smartphones.
What’s the Big Deal with CPID and Patch Approvals?
Here’s the thing: these smuggled phones are somehow getting approval from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), but not in the right way. People are using dodgy methods like CPID (Consumer Product Identification) and IMEI repair, which are cheaper but totally illegal. Basically, the government’s caught on to this, and they’ve got a list of hundreds of smugglers and shops that are involved in this shady business.
Government’s Crackdown
The Government isn’t just sitting back. They, along with the PTA, are planning to go after a popular website – cpidserver.com. This site’s known for providing these CPID approval services all over the world.
So, What’s CPID/Patch Approval Anyway?
If you’re wondering what CPID approval is, it’s a sneaky way to get PTA approval without spending much. It’s perfect for using SIM cards in high-end phones. What it does is, it changes the phone’s IMEI number – that’s like the phone’s unique ID – without needing to root the device. It’s like saying your brand-new Samsung Galaxy is actually an old Nokia 3310 to the system.
Patch approvals are similar but keep the phone stuck to one software version, so no updates for you!
Is This the End of Cheap Approvals?
Sources inside the government told Propakistani that the PTA’s planning to take action against cpidserver.com. While this doesn’t mean CPID and patch approvals will vanish overnight in Pakistan, it’s pretty clear that the government and PTA are ramping up their efforts. They’re serious about stopping the illegal approval of these smuggled phones.
