When purchasing a mobile phone or tablet from a well-known or unfamiliar trademark, first of all, the consumer is interested in the real country of origin of the device. Many famous brands locate their production in other countries, most often China, for example, the same Samsung can be produced both in South Korea and have apocryphal Chinese “roots”.
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But don't be skeptical electronic devices, manufactured outside the vendor's countries. Manufacturers value their reputation very much and will never allow low-quality goods to be sold under their brand. But still, the buyer wants to be sure that he has chosen an original smartphone, to establish the origin of the device he is purchasing second-hand, or to make sure that the information specified in the documents regarding specific device. These nuances and a whole range of other useful data about the gadget are stored in a special IMEI code of the device.
The Internet assistant Tarif-online.ru will tell you how to find out the country of the phone manufacturer using IMEI and what features of the code you should pay attention to. We will also describe alternative way receiving reliable information about the country of origin using the device serial number.
IMEI Features
The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) numeric identifier consists of 15 digits and is a unique identification marker for each piece of mobile equipment (phone, smartphone, tablet, modem, router) regardless of the country in which it was manufactured. By focusing on the structure of the international IMEI identifier, you can unambiguously establish not only in which state the factory is located, but also who the manufacturer of the phone is, its model, release date and serial number.
Important! IMEI is a unique identifier for each GSM and UMTS mobile phone and serves for accurate and complete identification in the cellular networks of providers. Today, many devices have been developed that can simultaneously use 2 or more SIM cards from different operators. Such devices have several IMEIs, the number of which depends on the number of SIM card slots.
Each device owner can find out their international mobile equipment identifier from four standard sources:
- warranty card;
- an inscription with a code on the primary packaging;
- an inscription with a code on the phone body (under the battery);
- electronic IMEI entry in the factory firmware.
To find out the identifier registered in the gadget’s memory, you need to generate a request * # 06 # .
After this action, a 15-digit code will instantly appear on the screen. For example, for devices with two SIM cards, the representation of the numeric code may look like this:
IMEI 1: 357885051455122
IMEI 2: 357885051455130
Please note that authorized organizations and manufacturers are constantly trying to improve the protection of mobile equipment from unauthorized IMEI changes using special software. In particular, this resulted in the fact that the identifier is now stored in the gadget’s memory in a special, one-time programmable zone. In addition, in 2004 the format of the IMEI itself was changed.
On older devices, the international mobile equipment identifier was represented as follows: 357885 05 145512 0 (IMEI 1 from our example with the last digit replaced):
- the first six digits (357885) indicated the telephone model and origin (TAC);
- the next seventh and eighth digits (05) identified the country of assembly (FAC);
- numbers nine through fourteen (145512) indicated the serial number of the device;
- the last, fifteenth digit (0) is a control number and until 2004 was always equal to zero.
The new IMEI format, on the one hand, is simplified, on the other hand, it uses a complex algorithm for checking check digits. On modern devices, the international mobile equipment identifier must be grouped as follows - 35 788505 145512 2:
- The first two digits (35) are the registered RBI code and indicate that the device has an IMEI and not a MAID (Mobile Equipment Identity) code, which is flashed on new CDMA mobile phones instead of the 32-bit ESN (Electronic Serial Number). Number);
- the next six digits (788505) indicate the model and place of manufacture of the phone and, together with the RBI code, form a total picture of the origin of the device (TAC);
- numbers nine through fourteen (145512) are the serial number of the gadget;
- the last, fifteenth digit (2) acts as a control number and, using the Luna algorithm, constantly monitors attempts to unintentionally distort the data.
Regardless of the IMEI writing standard, knowing the seventh and eighth digits of the identifier (except for the digits 00), you can determine the country in which your phone was manufactured. Codes with two zeros (00) are transitional between two IMEI standards and do not allow identification of the country of origin.
Determining the country of origin of the phone by IMEI
We already know which numbers of the international mobile equipment identifier indicate the country of origin. It is quite difficult to link the seventh and eighth digits of the IMEI with the real country, since there may be contradictions between the real origin of the device and the country for which the equipment was manufactured. For example, mobile phones made in Germany have a country code of 07, but also new South Korean ones Samsung smartphones Grand Prime, which were originally sent to Germany, received the same code, and then, without any IMEI changes, were distributed throughout Europe.
The online assistant site will try to systematize the available information by IMEI codes so that you can determine the country of origin of the phone as accurately as possible.
| IMEI code of the country of manufacture | Phone manufacturer country |
| 01 | Finland |
| 02 | South Korea, United Arab Emirates |
| 03 | China |
| 04 | Hungary, China |
| 05 | India |
| 06 | Germany |
| 07 | Germany, South Korea |
| 08 | Germany |
| 10 | Finland |
| 13 | Azerbaijan |
| 19 | England |
| 20 | United Arab Emirates |
| 30 | South Korea |
| 40 | Scotland |
| 41 | Scotland |
| 49 | China |
| 60 | Singapore |
| 67 | USA |
| 70 | Finland |
| 78 | Germany |
| 80 | China |
| 81 | China |
| 92 | China |
| 93 | China |
Returning to our example IMEI 35 788505 145512 2 with country of origin code 05, we see that this device made in India.
In addition to our table, you can also use the following special services, which allow you to find out the origin of the device online, using not only the IMEI, but also the serial number of the phone, which is also indicated on the case and in the documentation. “IMEI TOOLS” and “SNDeepInfo” are especially popular.
The results of searching for the place of manufacture of a mobile phone must be identical to each other, regardless of whether data from the packaging box or the gadget case, analysis of IMEI or serial number are used for this purpose. If the documents say that the phone was made in South Korea and the IMEI shows Chinese code 80, most likely this device is a fake.
Finally
The Tarif-online.ru website hopes that this article was useful to you in solving the question of how to find out the country of origin of a phone by IMEI. For a better understanding of the material presented in the review, do not forget to watch our training video.
If you have questions or would like feedback, please use the comments on this article. We will also be glad to see your correct additions to this complex and confusing topic.
In trying to find a mobile phone, owners of lost handsets try to use the maximum number search tools. But some methods do not give any results. Let's figure out whether it is possible to find a phone by IMEI via satellite for free and whether such technologies even exist.
What is IMEI
IMEI is a unique identification number mobile phone. It consists of 15 digits and does not change when the number is changed. IMEI is flashed into the phone's memory and stored there forever, so changing it is very problematic. In some countries, this process is criminalized, which is why there is no need to experiment with changing this number. IMEI is tied directly to the phone. It is transmitted to the cellular network as one of the equipment identifiers.
If the device supports two SIM cards, then there will be two IMEI numbers, not one. Thus, cellular networks track the correspondence between IMEI and phone number. All this allows you to remotely block equipment and search for lost or stolen telephone sets(at least in theory).
To find out the IMEI of your mobile phone, look under the battery or dial *#06#. It is also indicated in the warranty card and on the packaging.
How to find a phone by IMEI
Searching for a phone by IMEI occurs as follows:
- A request is submitted to law enforcement agencies (documents on the phone are also provided there);
- Law enforcement agencies submit requests to mobile operators (together with IMEI);
- Cellular operators search for the device in their databases and find out who owns the SIM card that is installed in this device;
- The received data is sent to law enforcement agencies for further investigation.
Thus, you can find a phone by IMEI, but satellites have absolutely nothing to do with it, since cellular communications have nothing to do with satellites.
What will law enforcement officers do after receiving a response from the operator? They will find out who owns the SIM card and find who is using the phone in this moment. It is possible to find a stolen phone by IMEI, but the police most often do not do this. The exception is complex cases when the police are interested in solving the case and catching the criminal. In other cases, no one is looking for stolen phones, although technical feasibility everything is just like that.
Moreover, operators are able to block lost phones at their level, depriving them of the opportunity to register in their networks (in practice, this feature is practically not used).
Is it possible to find a phone by IMEI if it is simply lost? Neither the police nor mobile operator. Searching is labor-intensive, and the police are not a lost property office. Therefore, by searching lost phone you will have to study on your own, without relying on anyone’s help.
Looking for a phone on our own
Your phone was stolen and you want to find it by IMEI online? We dare to assure you that this is practically impossible. There are simply no services on the network that could show the location of the phone by its IMEI. The only way out is to use special tracking services that allow you to track smartphones by reading their approximate coordinates and transmitting them via the Internet. All other services are nothing more than fantasy.
Recently, services have begun to appear on the Internet that allow you to find out whether a phone with one or another IMEI is listed as missing. That is, people register their devices in these services, after which they have additional chances of finding their phones if they are lost. Naturally, there is no talk about tracking phones here - these services are purely informational. And they are not widely used, so the chances of finding a lost handset using them are still small.
Finding a phone by IMEI via satellite is nothing more than a picture from a science fiction movie. Therefore, one cannot count on the availability of such services in real life.
Owners of Android smartphones can find a lost device via the Internet using the Phone Finder service. Search is possible only when the “Find device” function is active. It is included in the menu “Settings – Security and location – Find my device” or “Google – Security”. Enable the function - this will provide the ability to search if the handset is lost.
To find your phone, follow these steps:
- Go to this page;
- Select the device you are looking for in the list;
- Enter your account password;
- On the next page, click the “Find” button.
A page with a map will open, showing the approximate location of the phone.
Additional service functions:
- Remote call activation – the phone will start ringing even if it is in silent mode;
- Device lock – the smartphone is locked, and you can display a message with your contact information on its screen;
- Remote device wipe – use this feature if your smartphone contains sensitive data or high-value commercial materials.
Please note that IMEI is not used here - you only need it for searching Google account. The disadvantage of this method is that the phone must be turned on and connected to the Internet.
Apple smartphones are tracked in a similar way - to find lost iPhone, use the “Find iPhone” function. Enter your Apple ID and password, the device's location will be shown on the map. By analogy with Android smartphones, you must first enable the “Find iPhone” function in the device settings.
Find phone via satellite - applications
It is impossible to find an arbitrary phone via satellite and IMEI. But if you prepare your phone for possible loss, then this is more than possible. This is done through apps that track smartphones via GPS. The “Tracking by phone number” application from the developer Family Locator Inc. has this functionality. Tracking is free and the application does not require superuser rights.
There are many other programs that allow you to find your phone via satellite. Some of them require superuser rights (root), but have advanced functionality - they work in the background without revealing their presence, they can track SIM card changes, and can be controlled via SMS (without the Internet).
It's no secret that phones of the same model, from the same manufacturer, assembled in different countries, can vary significantly in quality and reliability. Therefore, many experienced buyers are looking for how to find out the country of origin by IMEI, not trusting the data provided on the box. We will share with you information that will help you understand the device codes and extract useful information from them.
What is an IMEI number and where to find it
The “Imei” code is a 15-digit unique number that identifies each released smartphone, tablet, and modem. In addition to the country of origin, you can use it to find out a lot useful information about the device: whether it has a branded warranty, presence on “black” lists, software version. The gadget is identified by IMEI mobile networks. Using this code you can also get some information about unknown phone models.
Changing IMEI is a criminal offense not only in the UK, Belarus, Latvia, but also in our country. However, this does not reduce the number of fakes, which, by the way, can also be calculated using this 15-digit number.
Before you find out the country of origin by Phone IMEI"Nokia", "Samsung", iPhone or other gadget, you need to find this code. “Have” is usually indicated on the original packaging of the device, or under its battery. You can display this code on the screen of your smartphone by typing the command: *#06#.
Structure of the name code
Depending on the year of assembly of your device, you may see an old and a new code. Let's consider both options. The old IMEI will have the following structure: 123456-78-912345-0. Let's decipher it:
- 123456 - Type Approval Code. Numbers of the official standard sample of your device model.
- 78 - Final Assembly Code, number of the country of the final assembly. Those who are looking for how to find out the country of origin of a phone by IMEI will find it useful.
- 912345 - Serial Number, the serial code of your device.
- 0 is a check digit.
Became used since 2004 new format numbers: 00-000022-333333-1. The country of origin is also encrypted here with the seventh and eighth characters. The numbers in a slightly different form mean the same thing:
- 00-0000 - TAC, your phone's unique model number.
- 22 - FAC. We will also calculate how to find out the country of origin of a phone by IMEI using it.
- 333333 - SNR, device serial number.
- 1 - spare, check digit.
If your device was manufactured during the period when FAC was abolished (2003-2004), then the 7th-8th characters of your "name" code will be two zeros (00). In this case, you will not be able to determine the country where your phone was assembled by IMEI.
How to find out the country of origin of a phone by IMEI
05, 70, 02, etc. - it is the combination of these numbers that will help you see the true country of origin of your phone. It is worth noting that corporations that produce smartphones prefer to save data about the country final assembly confidential, therefore all information provided below is unofficial. In addition, manufacturers of various “smart” devices (Samsung, Sony, iPhone, Nokia, etc.) encrypt states in IMEI codes under different symbols.
Here is a summary table that tells you how to find out the country of origin of a phone by IMEI (06, 01, 07 and others), and also has some ratings from direct users.
If the country code you determined by IMEI conflicts with what is written on the box or under battery device, that is, there is a possibility that the phone you are holding in your hands is a fake.
Alternative methods
In addition to IMEI, you can calculate the manufacturer of your smartphone by S/N - serial number devices. It is also indicated on the box or under the battery next to the “have” code. You can determine the final country of assembly by this number by going to one of the popular services that specialize in providing such information.
The next option is to determine the manufacturer by the number under the barcode, also printed on the brand name. In this case, you need to pay attention to the first digits. Here is a table with the most likely codes.
That's all the methods that tell you how to find out the country of origin of a phone by IMEI, as well as using the barcode on the box. The coincidence of all results, including the name of the country of assembly indicated on the box, is a guarantee that this is a branded device.
The need to “break through” the phone appears among iPhone owners in 2 cases. The first is the acquisition of a new gadget from Apple. And the second is purchasing a device through an unofficial store. Let's say this could be a hands-on purchase of the device.
Checking the serial number on the official Apple website will allow you to determine the 100% authenticity of the device. You can also check the iPhone serial number using other methods - through the gadget itself, according to the inscriptions on the packaging.
Remember that any iOS device from Apple must be verified for authenticity before purchase. This device will provide you with the right to warranty repair, access to support services and other benefits.
For iPhone checks by serial number, you first need to find out this combination of numbers. And then it will be easy to get information about the iPhone on the Apple website. Or test the gadget being tested through another source.
Read our article on how to check an iPhone by IMEI on the Apple website.
In fact, there are plenty of resources online that allow you to carry out this procedure. But experts recommend using one of the two. For what reason? Simply because you don’t have to pay for information on them, and there is no doubt about the reliability of the information received. All data, you can be sure, will be 100% accurate.
We are talking, firstly, about the resource on which the device was purchased. And the second is, you guessed it, the manufacturer’s website. ABOUT the latter method Today we will talk in detail.
How to check IMEI on an Apple resource on the Internet?
Especially for you - step-by-step instruction. The procedure is very easy to do - just 3 steps. Each of them is not very difficult. So let's get started.
1 The first thing to do is to determine the IMEI of our gadget. This is easy to do, because the number is indicated in the device settings and on the packaging box in which the device was delivered. And if you could throw away the packaging, no one bothers you to enter the gadget’s menu and quickly get the information you need. 2 Next, you will need to go to the Apple resource on the network, to a special section where the check is carried out. In the field you need to enter the number determined in the first step and click on the continue button. 3 We quickly get the results. Here we will see detailed information about the gadget - its color, version, expiration date technical support and other. A message will also appear asking you to activate the device if this operation has not been done before.After the final step, we can already conclude that the Phone is authentic. We can also find out whether the gadget’s body has been changed, and whether the serial number belongs to our device.
Remember that the above instructions will allow you to check not only iOS mobile gadgets, but also everything else Apple products for authenticity. This also includes a number of accessories, TV set-top boxes, etc.
However, besides checking IMEI, there are other ways to find out whether the iPhone in front of you is real or fake.
Several ways to check iPhone for originality
1 An excellent method is to download iTunes to your PC or laptop, if you have already done so. Then connect the gadget to it. And if this is not a fake, the utility will quickly recognize the phone and will interact with it perfectly. This method is 100% correct. But it has a minus - because you may not have a laptop at hand. 2 Another easy but reliable way to check is to turn on the device, enter the main menu and look carefully at the clock and calendar icons. The latter should display the current date (of course, if the element is configured). And if the settings have not been made, the date should be the one that is currently set in the operating system. The time should also be displayed on the watch, and the second hand should move. This picture is always present in original devices. But in fakes there is no trace of this. So even a simple glance at the display may be enough to identify a crude fake. 3 The original menu must contain an icon App Store. A dishonest seller can deceive you as much as possible, saying that the attached one was deleted and you need to download it again, that this device model does not have it, and other nonsense. When checking a potential purchase, don’t be lazy and check for the presence of the App Store in the list of gadget applications. 4 In addition to the store mentioned above, the menu should also contain other software from the developer (for example, mail, tips, Game Center and much more). Chinese craftsmen usually make mistakes here, and one or several programs will be missing. Remember that it is impossible to remove standard elements from the device.
You don’t have to worry about whether the iPhone is genuine if the device is purchased at a hardware store or at one of the network offices cellular communications, like “MTS” or “Svyaznoy”. But if you intend to order an iPhone via the Internet (for example, from a Chinese store) or buy a gadget “from hand”, you need to be careful and insist on preliminary verification of the authenticity of the gadget via the Internet.
This method is the most suitable, because to use it you don’t even need to open the box and take out the device itself. Follow the instructions:
Step 1. Find the serial number of the device on the packaging - it should be located on the back of the box between the IMEI and the part number (Part No.). The serial number consists of 11 or 12 characters (numbers and letters).
Source: cheerfuleboway.tumblr.com
If the iPhone is printed and activated, check the “serial numbers” on the packaging and in the device settings (path “ Settings» — « Basic» — « About this device»).
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