• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

ESN Modification Legalities

MartyMcFly85

MartyMcFly85

Newbie
Ok so I have been searching for weeks now on this topic. Obviously it is unlawful to clone another cellular device to abuse someone else in anyway whether it be monitoring or using another individuals plan. I have yet to come across anything stating it is unlawful to modify the ESN of a cellular device in the instance of using a phone YOU OWN as a doner, then changing the ESN of another phone YOU OWN. Reasoning may be you want a better phone and your current service provider doesn't sell it.
The only issue I can think one could run into is with the service provider.
Say you are on a GSM network. People all over swap SIMs. The SIM is your ID on the network, other than the IMEI, which I can see no reason to change that.

Could someone post a link of anything to prove that modifying your ESN is illegal in every way??:confused:

:car:
 
ESN is equivalent to IMEI .It's a device identification number which has to be unique .I think ESN is replaced by MEID in newer devices .
ESN is a number assigned to a particular device which you have bought .And you essentially dont have the authority to assign ESN .
Basically when you purchased a phone and it was assigned an ESN by the regulatory authority .
So you just purchased a device and own it .


Whatever may be the reasoning ,consumers can't assign ESN to any device .
Its an issue of authority not law. Consumers have no authority to assign an ESN to any device .
Thats clear cut .
 
Tresezk said:
ESN is equivalent to IMEI .It's a device identification number which has to be unique .I think ESN is replaced by MEID in newer devices .
ESN is a number assigned to a particular device which you have bought .And you essentially dont have the authority to assign ESN .
Basically when you purchased a phone and it was assigned an ESN by the regulatory authority .
So you just purchased a device and own it .


Whatever may be the reasoning ,consumers can't assign ESN to any device .
Its an issue of authority not law. Consumers have no authority to assign an ESN to any device .
Thats clear cut .
Click to expand...

IMEI changing is illegal in the UK. Like changing a car registration plate / licence plate. It's assigned by an authority but its protected by law.

Anyway, can't CDMA carriers assign your service to any ESN you want?
 
SUroot said:
IMEI changing is illegal in the UK. Like changing a car registration plate / licence plate. It's assigned by an authority but its protected by law.

Anyway, can't CDMA carriers assign your service to any ESN you want?
Click to expand...

Probably I phrased it wrong :) .
It's illegal(everywhere) to change since the number is assigned by a regulated authority .
 
There's one thing about trying to change a phone's IMEI, is that AFAIK manufacturers actually make it extremely difficult or almost impossible to do it. Because I think it's permanently burned into the phone's chipset. Most likely done to discourage theft and to render blacklisted phones useless. Although an IMEI that's blacklisted in Europe will still work OK in China.

I remember one thing happening at Cash Converters in the UK. Someone was trying to trade-in a Nokia phone, but on their database the IMEI was coming up as an Apple iPhone, so Cash Converters wouldn't touch it. So either the IMEI had been changed or the Cash Converters database was wrong.
 
Forget about SIM cards. As the name suggests, the Subscriber Identification Module merely identifies the subscriber (or at least the number assigned to the subscriber). The IMEI remains constant regardless of what is in the SIM slot, and identifies the actual handset. In this regard it's much like the ESN of CDMA devices.

As to the legalities of modifying ESNs, it seems to rest on the definition of "intent to defraud". There's a discussion here at XDA; post #36 appears to offer some clarification straight from the FCC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom