The full form of IMEI is International Mobile Equipment Identity.
Understanding IMEI Numbers
An IMEI number is a unique 15-17 digit code assigned to every mobile phone worldwide. This number acts as a digital fingerprint for your device, allowing for identification and tracking across global networks. It's crucial for various purposes, including:
- Tracking stolen or compromised phones: Carriers and manufacturers use IMEI numbers to help trace and recover stolen or lost devices.
- Device identification: The IMEI uniquely identifies a specific phone, differentiating it from others of the same model.
- Network registration: Network providers use the IMEI to register the phone on their network.
The IMEI is programmed into GSM and UMTS mobile devices, and some satellite phones as well. This unique identifier ensures that each phone can be distinguished from others, even if they are of the same make and model.
Several sources confirm this definition: Byju's, Verizon, Thales Group, TechTarget, Quora, Wikipedia, the NIST Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Unacademy, and Javatpoint all define IMEI as International Mobile Equipment Identity.
