Will Naughty Traders Trick The Block Cell Phone Black Market Rules?

Smartphone (Irvan Medianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The rules for blocking cellphones and illegal or black market (BM) devices have come into effect. However, can the implementation of this rule prevent illegal devices from entering Indonesia?

According to telecommunication observer and Executive Director of the ICT Institute, Heru Sutadi, this rule should be effective. But it does not rule out that there will also be many rogue traders who can circumvent the IMEI blocking rules.

"Normatively it can be effective, but usually there will be a mode to get around this rule. For example, IMEI duplication, such as the case of registering cards using someone else's NIK. Now we don't see what mode, but our people like to find ways to get around the rules," Heru said when contacted by VOI. , Wednesday, September 16.

Moreover, said Heru, the IMEI policy journey took quite a long time and did not mature quickly. Where is the readiness of the system and supporting tools to enforce these rules, which may not be perfect.

"Moreover, the matter of illegal cellphones is a matter of Customs and Excise. If they work optimally, of course there should be no illegal entry products from abroad, it should be," said Heru.

On the other hand, Heru also questioned how consumers are protected under this rule. He also regretted that there were still people who did not know whether the cellphone he had bought was genuine or not.

"Do not let them buy cellphones, but then they cannot use them because the IMEI is not registered. So that education and socialization to cellphone consumers is absolutely necessary. I see that until now we have been busy with protracted system preparations," said Heru. .

In addition, there are also things that need to be anticipated, such as online sales, "The potential for consumers to lose a lot. Because even if they buy and can't be used because the IMEI is not registered, the product can be returned, it will cost money. This is what (government) must think about," Heru said.

Finally, Heru also explained that the authority of the Ministry of Communication and Information in cellphone products according to the Telecommunication Law is not in the form of blocking only but also issuing certification.

"So if there is a certified cellphone product even though the IMEI is not registered, it will potentially become a legal problem," said Heru.

Meanwhile, when contacted separately, Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Telecommunication Operators Association (ATSI), Merza Fachys, stated that the IMEI regulation that has been effective can have a good impact on society, namely by using legal not illegal goods.

"The most basic thing is that our country is a country that upholds legality aspects. People must live with legal goods. This country must not tolerate anything illegal," Merza said.

Merza also said that with this regulation, apart from having a good impact on people who use legal goods, the state also gets taxes from the license to operate cell phones in Indonesia. "The increase in state income is the next result of this program," added Merza.