The GSMA’s role as the global decimal administrator for TAC is to encourage and promote TAC / IMEI best practise through improved training and education across all stakeholders. However we and other stakeholders in the TAC / IMEI ecosystem have seen a rise in non-compliant TAC / IMEI in some key markets. This is a source of frustration not just for the GSMA but also local governments and manufacturers across the world.
The increase in cloned and fake TAC / IMEI influences the competitive landscape for mobile device manufacturers and brands. Others are also affected; local governments typically suffer from reduced tax revenues whilst consumers can be hard-hit by the poor quality and/or performance of non-compliant devices. For this reason, the GSMA has initiated a number of activities to encourage all in the ecosystem to report examples of malpractice under the umbrella of the GSMA TAC / IMEI Integrity framework.
For the avoidance of any doubt the GSMA does not have the responsibility or powers to stop illegal TAC and IMEI activity. Our priority is to maintain the integrity of the TAC data globally for the benefit of the entire ecosystem.