Addressing the gradual increase in the number of illegally imported mobile phones in Nepal, the government has decided a mandatory registration of IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number of such devices. On the budget presentation for the fiscal year 2074/75, Finance Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara mentioned it as a prerequisite step to bring illegal mobile imports under control.
Since most of the mobile phones in the country are nastily overpriced, and the number of people heading for foreign employment is rising exponentially, people find it easy and somewhat reasonable to get the phones imported. This reason resulted in an uncontrollably large number of illegal mobile phones in the country.
So, to reduce the gray market of cell phones and to help control the criminal activities that are committed with the help of mobile devices, government primarily focused on making the IMEI registration of the illicitly imported cell phones mandatory. On the budget presentation, Minister Mahara also mentioned on encouraging the telecom service providers to merge to improve the service quality.
