Peru's OSIPTEL to block 360,000 mobile phones in July

The Organismo Supervisor de Inversión Privada en Telecomunicaciones (OSIPTEL) announced that approximately 360,000 mobile phones will be blocked in Peru during July for not being listed on the official "white list" managed by the Registro Nacional de Equipos Terminales Móviles para la Seguridad (Renteseg). The blocking will occur in three stages on July 7, 14 and 21. The measure targets devices with altered, cloned or unregistered IMEI numbers and aims to curb the market for stolen or illegally imported phones.

Operators will send SMS notifications to affected users, giving them a short period to register the device through the carrier or the point of sale. Owners who believe the block is erroneous can challenge the decision with their operator. The action follows previous efforts that blocked nearly four million phones last year.

OSIPTEL emphasised that the process strengthens telecom security and deters the sale of illicit devices, a recurring problem in the Peruvian market.