The abbreviation IMEI in translation into Russian means nothing more than an International Mobile Equipment Identifier. This is a unique 15-digit number. Every mobile phone has one.
The first two digits help to identify the country of manufacture, the next six give an idea of the model code of the device, the next six are assigned to each unit individually, and the last is a spare identifier.
How to find out IMEI
To determine the IMEI of a specific device, you should carefully study the box from under the phone. In addition, it is affixed to the body of the phone. By typing * # 06 # on the keyboard, you can see the full IMEI number on the screen.
An international identifier can be useful in a number of cases. For example, when purchasing a used phone, experts recommend checking the IMEI without fail. The device will be checked against the base of the host country: the legality of the delivery, its presence / absence on the wanted lists will become obvious.
When a mobile terminal is connected to the network of a cellular network operator, its individual number is instantly transmitted. This allows you to eliminate the unauthorized operation of someone else's apparatus. In an emergency, law enforcement officials can locate the phone. Changing the IMEI is impossible, however, on the devices of the old assembly, it was possible to programmatically reset the phone number.
What is an international identifier for?
In general, this identifier is intended to some extent to protect phone owners from reselling their devices in case of theft or loss. A knowledgeable person buying a handheld device from street vendors may require checking the IMEI, rewriting it and viewing the lists of stolen models by number on thematic forums.
You should purchase a phone in a complete set, which includes the device itself, an original charger, instructions with a warranty card and a branded box. The IMEI on the sticker under the battery, on the box, in the coupon must be identical to the numbers that are displayed on the phone screen when entering the verification combination. In the case when the sticker is missing or there are traces of its re-sticking, it is better to refuse to purchase such a gadget.
When buying a mobile device in the departments of large retail chains, there should be no problems with IMEI, since the company guarantees their official appearance on store shelves and can provide all the necessary documents for a specific batch or a separate model at the request of customers.
It should be understood that the ubiquity of cellular communication dictates its own rules regarding the verification of acquired newfangled mobile devices.
