Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail has reported that the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will be taking a large bite out of iCrime. The regulatory body will be cracking down on criminals stealing expensive smartphones like Apple’s iPhone or other related mobile devices like Apple’s iPad. CRTC hopes to convince the major wireless carriers in Canada to set up a registry system and track down devices if they are stolen. The CRTC is willing to go so far as to enforce such regulations on wireless providers if they do not do so voluntarily.
CRTC has given the companies until November 30 to come up with a response and solution to the problem. If the wireless provider’s response is not up to par to what the CRTC expects, the governing body will look at creating regulation to enforce and correct the issue. It seems that the CRTC has finally stepped up on the side of critics who have claimed that wireless companies are not doing all that they can to protect consumers and their property. Elected official and law enforcement officials are taking a cue from the US were the wireless firms are on the way to create a system that will prevent stolen devices from being reactivated. This will reduce the incentive for the thieves and in turn reduce crimes.
The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association’s (CWTA) has been on the side of the wireless providers and has stated that the reason the companies have been slow in creating a system is due its belief that data on lost and stolen device is “competitive, proprietary and confidential.” The CRTC has called the CWTA’s bluff and is now threatening regulation if the companies do not create a system themselves.
Source: iPhone In Canada
Photo: Mashable