Mexico and MNP: A solution to crime in Mexico

Real badman nuh maggle inna shorts

Straight jeans, cut off foot pants

Everybody haffi ask weh me get mi Clarks

Everybody haffi ask weh me get mi Clarks

Excerpt from the hit song Clarks by Vybz Kartel, PopKaan and Vanessa Bling

It seems as if Mexico is going to go MNP (Mobile Number Portability) before Jamaica, as apparently they have realized it has an interesting application that is easily obvious: prevention of criminals or “badman” in Jamaican parlance from using Unregistered Mobile Phones to organize crime as suggested in the news report by CNET Loaded aired April 12 2010 by Natalie Del Conte, CNET News.

Correct if I am wrong, but was it not Senator Anthony Holness, Minister of Education who in 2005 had initially suggested this very idea of registering Mobile phones as a means of combating the targeting of high school children who were owners of such high end Mobile phones in early 2005 by thieves, many of whom often would physically harm the students in the process of stealing their mobiles?

Amusingly, Senator Holness, then the spokesperson for Education for the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) that was in Opposition, was actually speaking of one of the process required in MNP, as in order to facilitate persons being able to switch Mobile Phone Numbers, Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI from one Telecoms Provider to another Telecoms Provider, they would have to be initially be registered using Government of Jamaica approved identification i.e. Voters ID, Drivers License, Passport, TRN, Birth Certificate.

Under the Proposal which I had written for MNP which lays out a basic roadmap for the process, this is done to not only establish ownership but to also build up a database of authorized users of the Telecoms Providers network and thus open up a means of introducing various types of VAS (Value Added Services) such as Election Voting, Personalized Targeted Advertising, Market Surveys, Geo-Location Services and Personal Tracking Services, Augmented Viewing Services, Phone Directory Services, legitimized VoIP Third Party Providers, just to name a few.

But possibly another unintended side effect dovetails neatly into what Senator Anthony Holness, Minister of Education intoned in his declaration then in Opposition and the Government of Mexico is now attempting to implement in practice as the peons in power grapple for the very same in terms of control of state power from the drug dons.

This really needs no detailed explanation for the Government of Mexico, as effectively, it would provide a means of identifying who is are Authorized Customers and Subscribers and those who are Unauthorized Customers and Subscribers of the Telecoms Providers Network, which of course would be stored in a Database to which the Telecoms Providers would have equal access, effectively MNP.

Registration using  Government of Mexico approved identification i.e. Voters ID, Drivers License, Passport, TRN equivalent, Birth Certificate would create the need among Telecoms Provider, as a means of protecting their Customers and Subscribers base, to put in place policies and mechanisms to stop:

1. The Unauthorized Access to the Telecoms Providers Networks by Customers and Subscribers who either purchase Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) from one Telecoms Provider (whether local or abroad), unlock them and place them on another Telecoms Provider Network without contacting the Telecoms Provider Customer Care Center whose Network the Customers and Subscribers are attempting to access

2. The purchase of SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) or Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems)  from Unlicensed Third Party Vendors of these Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) who do not register the sale of the Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI as well as the Customers and Subscribers’ information to the Telecoms Provider whose Network the Customers and Subscribers are attempting to access.

3. Purchase of SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) or Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) from Telecoms Provider without registering the Customers and Subscribers using Government of Mexico approved identification i.e. Voters ID, Drivers License, Passport, TRN equivalent, Birth Certificate so as to have a record to whom each Phone Numbers, Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems)  IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI are registered.

Based on the Reuters news reports coming out of Mexico as it relates to the level and type of drug crime, a lot of the criminal underworld organize their business over the Telecoms Providers networks. Mexico is the “home world” of AMX (America Movil), parent company of CLARO and the local Telcel brand in Mexico. This would assumedly mean that the Government of Mexico is in effect targeting AMX in a move that will potentially result in the disconnection of nearly twenty six million (26,000,000) Customers and Subscribers Phone Instruments in the next few days, which would be a body blow to the Telecoms Providers, specifically AMX.

Therefore John Public must be quick to see the connection and obvious implications of this apparently draconian yet very necessary measure for both the Government of Mexico and its power in preventing crime also in Jamaica once the Government of Jamaica were to apply this simple measure of implementing MNP. This is as criminals, be they drug barons or gang leaders, mainly purchase their Mobile Phone Instruments using Unlicensed Third Party Vendors who merely sell them a Mobile Phone Numbers, Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems)  IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI without having to go through the rigors of registration using Government of Mexico approved identification i.e. Voters ID, Drivers License, Passport, TRN equivalent, Birth Certificate or contacting the Telecoms Providers to advise them of the sale of the said Mobile Phone Numbers, Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems)  IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI.

Thus, legitimate users of the Telecoms Provider Mobile Networks would rush to register their Mobile phones using the approved Government of Mexico approved identification i.e. Voters ID, Drivers License, Passport, TRN equivalent, Birth Certificate while the criminals would be disconnected, as they would have Mobile Phone Numbers, Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems)  IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI that are unregistered and as such would be unable to use the Telecoms Providers Networks to carry out their criminal activities, having no incentive to register in person, lest they be caught and arrested. Already this has occurred, as only 30% of the populations who own a Mobile phone have not yet registered their instruments as the deadline to do so is fast approaching.

The deal could be sweetened by the Customers and Subscribers registering being allowed to get free Loyalty Credit (how does JA$10,000 Loyalty credit from each Telecoms Provider sound?) or even register for a new Phone Instrument once they carry in a functional Phone Instrument for the competing Telecom Provider or an Unused Phone Instrument from the same Telecoms Providers.

This Registration Rewards Promotion from the Telecoms Providers just for registering, could also be coupled Customers and Subscribers being opted into allowing their Phone Instruments to be tracked e.g. as in the case of Digicel Brown Dawg thus an added means of protecting them in the event they are kidnapped, allowing the Telecoms Providers to make revenue from advertising via a program similar to Digicel Brown Dawg as well as distinguishing them as law abiding citizens as opposed to criminals, who would be Unregistered Customers and Subscribers with disconnected Phone Instruments.

Upon registering, the Government of Mexico could also make it mandatory to have the Telecoms Providers pair the Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems)  IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI in the Telecoms Providers Switch Equipment in such a way such that the if during the execution of a Mobile phone call there is a mismatch of the Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems)  IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI in the Common Database of Available Numbers, SIM IMSI and Phone Instrument IMEI, the call will be blocked and the Phone Instruments unable to make or receive calls or any other form of communication and would be effectively be barred from working on any of the other Telecoms Providers Networks, which is effectively a requirement of MNP.

Even better, once Customers and Subscribers Phone Instrument is stolen, they should be able to report the theft via SMS from another registered Mobile phone by using their Government of Mexico approved identification i.e. Voters ID, Drivers License, Passport, TRN equivalent, Birth Certificate to identify themselves and thus be called by an Operator working in the Telecoms Provider’s Customer Care Department, thereby having the Customers and Subscribers stolen Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems)  IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI blocked and be unable to make or receive calls or any other form of communication on the Telecoms Provider’s Network.

The Government of Jamaica would therefore do well by copying this move locally by forcing the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) and the SMA (Spectrum Management Authority) to have the plan for MNP as I have it proposed implemented by the Telecoms Providers, using the fact that it would be a crime preventing initiative.

Thus most likely the Telecoms Providers would readily agree to, as it would paint them all in a good light as being their Brothers Keeper and showing John Public that there are indeed some things more important than money by putting aside their competitive differences and implementing MNP. MNP, if implemented via the Big Three (3) Telecoms Providers and the other smaller Telecoms Providers registering all their Customers and Subscribers Mobile Phone Numbers, Phone Instruments (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMEI and SIM Cards (Mobile, fixed line Mobile, Landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI using Government of Jamaica approved identification i.e. Voters ID, Drivers License, Passport, TRN, Birth Certificate, sharing their company resources and jointly blocking all Illegitimate Unregistered VoIP traffic both inbound and outgoing from the Telecoms Providers Networks in a drive to regulate the Third Party VoIP Industry.

MNP would pay for itself and be completely free to the Customers and Subscribers with the potential of  increased revenue gained from cost savings due to VAS that can be implemented due to the registering of Customers and Subscribers, sharing resources and increased revenue via the blocking of VoIP as the National Telecom Regulatory Authority in Egypt has been proactive enough to do  in order to protect its state owned Telecoms Provider’s revenue base as stated in the article “Egypt bans international Internet voice calls”, published April 5^th 2010, Yahoo! (AFP) News.

This may translate to increased salaries for Telecoms Providers Workers, and thus more of a reason for Telecoms Provider Workers to push their management to go MNP. And one of those VAS would be Mobile Triangulation also known as Geo-Location which could be used for advertising as well as personal tracking services. And there is a demand for it currently aside from assisting the Government of Jamaica in solving crime and a financial windfall for the Telecoms Providers in the long run.

As for the song, I just decided to add it as it seems to be the next “Ramping Shop” summer hit for Vybz Kartel………and possibly the song of the year…….and this time it is a clean product placement song………….and Vybz Kartel ticket to England for himself and his entourage for the Summer of 2010 to promote the iconic Clarks brand, as is coded into the song!!