• Latest
  • All
  • How To
Nzioka Waita Safaricom

Safaricom’s Nzioka Waita’s comments regarding user questions on Counterfeits

September 28, 2012
kenya-parliament

Parliament Invites Public Feedback on Virtual Asset Bill 2025

May 30, 2025
ConnectedAfrica2025(Day4)-meta-foondamate

Connected Africa 2025 Day 4: FoondaMate and Meta Team Up to Bring AI to Classrooms

May 29, 2025
google-veo-3

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

May 29, 2025
iOS 26

Apple Plans Big Rename for iOS and macOS at WWDC 2025

May 29, 2025
DHgate Tablet Cases deals
University student fined for defamatory Facebook posts

University Student Fined KES 7.5 Million for Defamatory Facebook Posts

May 29, 2025
AI Africa policies database

New Platform Brings All African AI Policies Under One Database

May 28, 2025
POATE 2025

Kenya’s Tourism Sector Grows as Travel Gets Easier Across East Africa

May 28, 2025
sodium-ion battery

Researchers Develop Sodium-Ion Battery That Charges to 80% in 6 Minutes

May 27, 2025
TV Gambling Ads

Regulator Fines Stations Using Religious Shows to Push Gambling

May 27, 2025
Connected Africa Summit 2025

Connected Africa 2025 Day 2: Focus on Digital Inclusion & Cybersecurity

May 27, 2025
whatsapp chatbots

iPad Users May Finally Get a Native WhatsApp App

May 28, 2025
Connected Africa Summit

Connected Africa Summit Calls for Unified Tech Vision

May 28, 2025
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
No Result
View All Result

Safaricom’s Nzioka Waita’s comments regarding user questions on Counterfeits

Martin Gicheru by Martin Gicheru
September 28, 2012
in News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
258
3
Nzioka Waita Safaricom

Nzioka Waita SafaricomBased on questions going on about the internet and offline, I sought to iron out some misinformation that mobile phone users may be having regarding what counts as counterfeit, what exactly will happen and if there are lines drawn regarding the impending switch off by CCK in two days, that being the 30th of September. Basically users sought to know where they lie in regards to devices they use, based on mode of acquisition (like in a case of those who bought devices outside the country, iphone users who chances are that they have jailbroken devices and many other questions). Below is Nzioka Waita, Safaricom’s Director of Corporate Affairs’ answers to questions I was able to compile in an email interview:

Just for the sake of people who might not be aware, how do we define Fakes? Does a random person who went to China and got a device done and named it, say “Nzioka Wireless” fit in? “

The term is counterfeits, they are phones without genuine IMEIs allocated to them; for more details on the IMEI global standard, please refer to GSMA which is the global body responsible for setting industry standards for the manufacture and operation of gsm based mobile devices and network equipment.

Is there any channel for redress if somebody thinks they have been shut off in error? Are the systems fool-proof?
The issue is not really subjective, if the phone has a genuine IMEI which can be verified by sending the number (*#06#) to SMS 1555 data base. The data base is maintained and updated hourly by GSMA.

What are the legal implications of the switch off. What if people get together and sue? Who does the buck stop with?
The regulator CCK.

Does the switch-off directive include unregistered devices or just devices without a proper IMEI? Does this apply to devices other than phones, like modems, tablets et-al?
There is no requirement to register a device ( this should not be confused with SIM registration which is another process entirely). The devices affected are all those that use the GSM mobile networks and are do not have genuine IMEIs.

Do we have a portal that has a detailed roadmap of the switch-off, who will be affected, how the device relates to the sim card.
There is a detailed step by step information guideline issued by the CCk, which has been complimented by a 90 day public awareness campaign. For more details check out the CCK website.

The mention about Jailbroken iPhones, phones from Grey market, second hand imports, where is the line?
The issue is only about phones without genuine IMEIs on the network , irrespective of their origin or mode of sale. As a caution, the process of jail breaking network locked devices, may in some instances tamper with the IMEI. As a by the way under the Kenya Information Communication Act, it is illegal to manipulate the IMEI of an electronic device without the manufacturer’s consent.

What is Safaricom’s plan regarding the users who will have their phones go under, any relief like what Samsung and Orange are doing with subsidized phones?
We have been running an affordable device campaign for the last 2 months and we have targeted specifically those with counterfeit devices through SMS.

I want to assume CCK owns the verification system, has Safaricom as the biggest industry player by mass considered communicating to the user who may not still be unaware about the process?
The CCK are indeed custodians of the system, but the database is the GSMA data base. As indicated above we have sent messages to all 680K subscribers who will be affected by the switch off.

Bitange Ndemo noted that the government is losing 3.2 Billion in tax revenues from counterfeit phones, the 3 million of them, would this mean that the general population using counterfeit phones purchased them for over Kshs 10,000 to justify that tax? (the information is actually from Anti-Counterfeit Agency)

I Can’t really comment as I am not privy to the context of the PS’s comments, however based on anecdotal feedback from customers, a lot of the handsets are in the 5-12k cost range on account of the fact that the users were looking for ‘smart like’ devices with features like analogue tv, radio, data and voice all in one.

Tags: Safaricom
SendShare146Tweet92
Martin Gicheru

Martin Gicheru

Martin is the Managing Editor at Techweez, passionate about personal tech and telling stories of consumer experiences. Talk to me: [email protected]

Related Posts

Kenya Safaricom share sale

Kenya Plans Mega Sale of Safaricom Shares to Raise Over a Billion Dollars

May 26, 2025
Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom lawsuit

Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom and CA Sued in Data Rollover Lawsuit

May 28, 2025
Safaricom launches revamped business loans

Safaricom Unveils Business Credit via M-PESA and Pochi Wallets

May 21, 2025
Safaricom Quickmart partnership

Safaricom 4G and 5G Routers Now Available at Quickmart Stores

May 17, 2025
Safaricom 5G for Business

How Safaricom 5G is Revolutionizing Enterprise Connectivity

May 17, 2025
Safaricom-IXAfrica-Centres-1

Safaricom Partners with iXAfrica to Build Region’s First AI-Ready Data Centre

May 17, 2025

Latest

kenya-parliament

Parliament Invites Public Feedback on Virtual Asset Bill 2025

May 30, 2025
ConnectedAfrica2025(Day4)-meta-foondamate

Connected Africa 2025 Day 4: FoondaMate and Meta Team Up to Bring AI to Classrooms

May 29, 2025
google-veo-3

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

May 29, 2025
iOS 26

Apple Plans Big Rename for iOS and macOS at WWDC 2025

May 29, 2025
University student fined for defamatory Facebook posts

University Student Fined KES 7.5 Million for Defamatory Facebook Posts

May 29, 2025
AI Africa policies database

New Platform Brings All African AI Policies Under One Database

May 28, 2025

Best devices

budget smartwatches 2025

Best Budget Smartwatches To Buy in Kenya 2025

February 13, 2025

Best Infinix Smartphones To Buy in Kenya 2024

February 13, 2025

Best Laptops for Battery Life in 2024

August 21, 2024

Best “Battery Warrior” Smartphones To Buy in 2024

August 22, 2024

Parliament Invites Public Feedback on Virtual Asset Bill 2025

May 30, 2025

Connected Africa 2025 Day 4: FoondaMate and Meta Team Up to Bring AI to Classrooms

May 29, 2025

Techweez is a fast growing influential source of technology news, reviews and analysis by leading tech geeks in the industry.

Follow Us

Editorials

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

Samsung QLED TVs Now Officially Certified for Real Quantum Dot Technology

Trump’s Tariffs Will Be the End of Affordable Tech

5 Ways to Prep Your Tech for Resale

The Weaponization of PDFs: How Cybercriminals Are Exploiting a Trusted Format

Introducing A Brainbox Quiz: Techweez’s Monthly Trivia Night!

More News

Kenya’s Tourism Sector Grows as Travel Gets Easier Across East Africa

Researchers Develop Sodium-Ion Battery That Charges to 80% in 6 Minutes

Regulator Fines Stations Using Religious Shows to Push Gambling

Connected Africa 2025 Day 2: Focus on Digital Inclusion & Cybersecurity

iPad Users May Finally Get a Native WhatsApp App

Connected Africa Summit Calls for Unified Tech Vision

  • Terms Of Use
  • Techweez Brand
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!

Hey there! Just a heads-up: we're big fans of cookies - both the digital and edible kind! 🍪 We use our cookies and some from third parties to ensure your browsing experience on our site is smooth sailing and secure.

 

But wait, there's more! We also use cookies to gather stats and insights on how you navigate our site. It's like getting a behind-the-scenes peek at your digital adventures!

 

Don't worry, you're in control. You can adjust your cookie settings anytime to suit your preferences. Feeling curious? Dive into our Privacy Policy for all the juicy details. Happy browsing! 🚀

Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
  • Automotive
  • Entertainment

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.