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AT&T Unveiling New Blocking Service for Stolen Phones Next Week

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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30,848



Originally announced this past April, AT&T will unveil a database of stolen phones to prevent lost devices from connecting to the carrier's network. The Verge reported the launch with a leaked internal AT&T screenshot showing a launch date of July 10, 2012.

NewImage1.png



AT&T issued this statement to MacRumors:
As announced in April, AT&T is creating a stolen phone database to prevent devices reported stolen from accessing wireless networks. We will install this availability next week for AT&T phones on our network and are working toward a cross-carrier solution later this year.
Click to expand...
The Verge notes that AT&T's guidance for staffers says "only the person who originated a block may request block removal". It's unclear how exactly the database will work, including preventing legitimate transfers in ownership from being flagged by malicious actors, but we expect to have more details from AT&T as the launch date for the stolen phone database comes closer.

Article Link: AT&T Unveiling New Blocking Service for Stolen Phones Next Week
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/07/06/att-unveiling-new-blocking-service-for-stolen-phones-next-week/
mac 2005

mac 2005

macrumors 6502a
Apr 1, 2005
782
126
Chicago
All I can say is: About time.

How many thousands of phones have been stolen over the years, only for AT&T to simply allow the thief to activate them and the victim to have to pay full freight for a new phone. Hopefully, this move will be adopted by other carriers and make cellphones less attractive to thieves.
 
FSMBP

FSMBP

macrumors 68030
Jan 22, 2009
2,712
2,633
Like the Find My iPhone feature, this is amazing but I hope I'll never have to use it.
 
dontwalkhand

dontwalkhand

macrumors 603
Jul 5, 2007
6,377
2,866
Phoenix, AZ
What's to stop you from unlocking it and using it on another carrier/ship it somewhere else?

I guess it also means blocked from all AT&T MVNOs like Straight Talk
 
S

srxtr

macrumors 6502a
Jul 1, 2010
611
0
Right step, but this won't help the original owner in retrieving the stolen phone.

Need to teach those thieves a lesson
 
X

xhArRiSoNxD

macrumors regular
Jul 8, 2008
171
33
Massachusetts
This is great. But I have an unlocked phone on T-Mobile. Can I still call them and say my phone is stolen?



dontwalkhand said:
What's to stop you from unlocking it and using it on another carrier/ship it somewhere else?

I guess it also means blocked from all AT&T MVNOs like Straight Talk
Click to expand...


They won't/shouldn't be able to unlock it after it is stolen because AT&T does the unlocking. So they just look up in their database if the phone was reported stolen before they do your unlock request. Simple. Now that's one way of getting revenge of your stolen iPhone!
 
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LimeiBook86

LimeiBook86

macrumors G3
May 4, 2002
8,001
45
Go Vegan
I wonder if my first 4GB iPhone (model 1) can now be officially banned on AT&T. It was stolen years ago, AT&T then said there was no policy in place on stolen phones. I still have the iPhone's serial # and such, it's worth a shot. I wouldn't be surprised if it was still being used. :rolleyes:
 
J

JRSAHLBERG

macrumors newbie
Sep 27, 2008
14
0
That's great, but we should have something like an "universal blacklist" shared between all carriers in the world...
 
D

dvdlovr24

macrumors 6502
Jun 3, 2008
329
117
Nextel was able to do this 10 years ago when I worked there and they were SIM card based just not GSM.
 
J

jmcguckin

macrumors regular
Nov 26, 2008
121
0
Akron, OH
I couldn't help but notice the bullet reading "The line is automatically be suspended if..."- sorry, but you'd think AT&T would've proofread this prior to sending it out.
 
O

Obese Lobsters

macrumors member
Jul 3, 2010
99
0
What about people that are buying used phones? What's to stop the owner to claim their phone was stolen after the sale?
 
Porco

Porco

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2005
3,315
6,909
This sounds like it could be a good step, but I do think Apple could design a nice solution of their own, perhaps giving an option to remotely brick your phone through your Apple ID account, when associated with it. It could ask you if you're really sure etc... but it would solve the problem of worrying about 'malicious actors' (insert your favourite bad movie star joke here).
 
seamer

seamer

macrumors 6502
Jul 24, 2009
426
164
Good intention, wrong process.

Let the stolen phone be activated and then send the gps/tower coordinates to your local PD. :D or hold the coords and see if there is a pattern in location before sending in the cavalry.

Remote wipe feature is useless. Can pull all data and reset the phone before owner even realizes.
 
Caliber26

Caliber26

macrumors 68020
Sep 25, 2009
2,325
3,637
Orlando, FL
jmcguckin said:
I couldn't help but notice the bullet reading "The line is automatically be suspended if..."- sorry, but you'd think AT&T would've proofread this prior to sending it out.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing. Little mistakes like that peeve me to no end.

On another note, could someone sell their phone on Craigslist to an honest buyer and then turn around and report it stolen and leave the buyer with a useless phone?
 
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