What is an IMEI Tracker?

IMEI is an acronym for International Mobile Equipment Identity. The IMEI number is made up of fifteen digits that identify individual mobile devices. The number can be used to track the mobile devices, something that can prove useful in a number of instances.

You can find the IMEI number of your mobile number in two ways. It is usually printed on a silver sticker placed on the box on which the phone is packed and another behind the battery pack at the back of the phone itself. Another method is by typing *#06# on the keypad, which displays the number on the phone’s screen.

The IMEI number plays quite an important role. Mobile phone operators can use the numbers to identify the types of equipment and track their use in the network. They can also use the IMEI numbers to identify their valid subscribers. In case of theft, they can help the owners recover or block the use of the stolen phones.

The various digits of the IMEI number represent different things. The first 8 digits are the Type Allocation Code (TAC), which help in identifying the brand and model of the given mobile device. The very first 2 digits form the Reporting Body Identifier that helps to identify the group or body that provided the TAC. The Global Decimal Administrator allocates these 2 digits. The device maker defines the 7 digits following the TAC, 6 of which form the serial number, with the remaining one being the check digit. From 2004, the structure used is TAC followed by serial number and then the check digit.

IMEI validation check helps to determine whether the structure is valid. The validation can be done by sending the IMEI number either via SMS or online. The details you will find from the IMEI number include device maker, its model and country of approval. It is important to verify the validity of the number if you want to use it for tracking purposes.

The check digit number (the last number on the IMEI) is calculated by the Luhn formula, which is a checksum formula that helps in validating different identification numbers. The formula is named after its creator, Peter Luhn, an IBM scientist. The last number protects against the possibility of making wrong entries in the IMEI numbers. The check digit is calculated from the other IMEI digits in 3 steps:

• A digit is doubled every 2 digits beginning from the right (i.e. 6 – 12).
• Calculating the sum of the digits (i.e. 12 – 1+2).
• Determining whether the sum of the digits is divisible by 10. The number to be added to make it divisible by 10 is the check digit.

The IMEI blacklist is made up of IMEI numbers that a mobile operator has received as either stolen or lost. The numbers are listed in the Equipment Identity Register (EIR). Any mobile device whose number is in an operator’s IMEI blacklist will not function in its network.