Section 399-EEE - [Effective 2/24/2025] Disabling of services to stolen wireless phones1. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (a) "International mobile equipment identifier (IMEI)" shall mean:(i) a mobile equipment identifier; (ii) electronic serial number; or(iii) any other number or signal that: (A) identifies a unique mobile wireless phone; and(B) has the same function and purposes as a number described in subparagraph (i) or (ii) of this paragraph. (b) "GSMA block list" means an industry database that relies on information reported by at least fifty commercial mobile operators, is subject to access controls, is certified to the ISO/IEC 27001 or an equivalent standard for information security management systems, and provides publicly available information to enable sellers, consumers, and law enforcement to check an IMEI against lists of mobile device equipment identification numbers to help prevent the use or activation of mobile phones identified as stolen or fraudulently obtained. 2. Limiting wireless service to stolen phones. Any person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, corporation, or other business entity providing wireless telephone services, as such term is defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section twelve hundred twenty-five-c of the vehicle and traffic law, shall have and maintain a program reasonably designed to prevent the activation on its network of a phone with an international mobile equipment identity number (IMEI) that appears on the GSMA block list. 3. Reporting of stolen wireless phones. Any person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, corporation, or other business entity providing wireless telephone services, as such term is defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section twelve hundred twenty-five-c of the vehicle and traffic law, who is informed by a retail store operator of the theft of new, non-activated wireless phones, shall take reasonable steps to report the IMEI numbers of those stolen phones to the GSMA block list. 4. Disabling of service to stolen wireless phone. Any person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, corporation, or other business entity providing wireless telephone services, as such term is defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section twelve hundred twenty-five-c of the vehicle and traffic law, shall have and maintain a program reasonably designed to enable it to suspend service to a stolen wireless phone upon notification by a verified customer that a wireless phone has been stolen. Such program shall require the person or business entity providing wireless telephone services take reasonable steps to report the IMEI numbers of the stolen phone to the GSMA block list.N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 399-EEE
Added by New York Laws 2024, ch. 543,Sec. 2, eff. 2/24/2025.