CTIA unveils database to track stolen LTE smartphones

The CTIA announced the launch of a global, multi-carrier, common database for LTE smartphones just ahead of schedule. The organization and wireless carriers had been facing a Nov. 30 deadline to launch the database. "The matter of stolen devices is extremely important to the wireless providers, which is why they worked so hard over the last year to meet each deadline on time," CTIA President Steve Largent said in a statement. "As more countries and more carriers around the world participate in the 3G and 4G/LTE databases, criminals will have fewer outlets since these stolen phones would be blacklisted and could not be reactivated." Largent also said that the U.S. needs "more foreign countries and carriers to participate in the global stolen phone database to prevent criminals from selling stolen devices internationally." One of the main criticisms of the existing U.S. databases, including from several police officials, is that the databases have been ineffective in deterring crime because many stolen phones end up overseas, where the database is not in force. Release