Multiple China's Operators Block Int'l SMS & Call Service as...

■ Source: SCMP & Airvers

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Good afternoon everybody

Major service provider China Mobile has set up a new system to block overseas calls as the country intensifies its crackdown on telecoms fraud.

A China Mobile user in Zhejiang province said he received a message from the operator giving him an option to block spam messages.

This came after the provincial branch of China Mobile reportedly sent a message to some subscribers, requiring them to confirm by May 20 if they would like to receive overseas calls. 

Users who did not register would be blocked from receiving calls from overseas as well as Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, online news portal ithome.com reported.

The relevant person in charge of China Mobile Zhejiang responded that the matter is true, and the company is notifying customers in batches through text messages. If the user needs to answer international calls, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan calls, they need to send 1219 to 10086 for confirmation and registration.

Ithome.com previously reported China Mobile’s branches in Hebei and Henan provinces had said they would block overseas messages.

China Mobile’s Hebei branch notified users that overseas SMS receiving services would be suspended from May 5, and those who wished to continue getting them should apply separately.

For users in Henan Province who need to receive SMS from international, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, they can bring their ID card to the local mobile, China Unicom, or telecommunications company’s self-operated business hall or send a text message to confirm the free activation.

Gongxin Weibo reported that Jiangxi Telecom, Jiangxi Mobile, and Jiangxi Unicom issued a joint announcement. 

In order to strictly control overseas fraudulent text messages , users in Jiangxi Province will be adjusted to receive international and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan text messages.

In addition, Liaoning has implemented the closure of international and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan SMS reception functions from 0:00 on January 25, 2022; Guizhou has implemented it at 0:00 on November 27, 2021; Zhejiang has implemented it from 0:00 on August 10, 2021.

There are reports that the above-mentioned provinces are only pilot projects, and the function of receiving SMS from international, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan will be closed or expanded to the whole country in the future.

The notices come as China intensifies its efforts to curb telecoms fraud. In April, the number of such cases had declined for more than nine months, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Overseas Fraud SMS

The ministry said it blocked 1.95 billion spam calls and 2.14 billion text messages in the past year, as well as 2 million websites suspected of fraudulent activities.