Legality of doing this...

[Phokkit]

I have two Mikrotik LHG antennas, the CAT 7 and CAT18. The CAT18 one is far superior when it comes to stability on my farm.
I had an Axxess technician out on the farm yesterday. He tested all the networks and MTN is by far the best, but would still need to use my Mikrotik antenna to get the best possible speeds and stability.
Poynting antennas don't work or makes very little difference.

Here's the problem, MTN doesn't allow non whitelisted devices for their home LTE packages.

Solution from Axxess technician: If I own a whitelisted modem (which I do), I could use it's IMEI on my Mikrotik antenna and would be able to connect to MTN towers. He offered to set it up for me, for a fee.

Is this legal? Wouldn't this be cloning an IMEI nr?
I know he said that I shouldn't switch the whitelisted router on again whilst the Mikrotik is running and I should be good to go.

I asked him about the legality about it, he says it's a grey area as I'm doing this to improve my internet.

What should I do?

 

[goldfritter]

Picture in your mind what a judge would say to "It's a grey area as I'm doing this to improve my Internet, my lord"

Of course I don't know anything about the legal aspect. My guess is, if MTN cottoned on to what you've done, things may go poorly for you.

 

[Phokkit]

Picture in your mind what a judge would say to "It's a grey area as I'm doing this to improve my Internet, my lord"

Of course I don't know anything about the legal aspect. My guess is, if MTN cottoned on to what you've done, things may go poorly for you.

Right?
I would assume this would be seen as cloning?
The technician seems very nonchalant about it. Guess his been gambling with his job a while now

 

[goldfritter]

Right?
I would assume this would be seen as cloning?
The technician seems very nonchalant about it. Guess his been gambling with his job a while now

Unfortunately technicians doing dodgy shit to make a bit extra on the side has become widespread in the good old R of SA. Daily Maverick is running a whole campaign about JHB employees who demand ransoms from residents to reconnect their services.

 

[Thanatos_ZA]

I would run this by MTN to get approval for cloning the IMEI, though I technically did the same by cloning my ISP provided router's mac address first to a mikrotik then to my firewall so I don't have to use their shitty router xD

 

[Phokkit]

I would run this by MTN to get approval for cloning the IMEI, though I technically did the same by cloning my ISP provided router's mac address first to a mikrotik then to my firewall so I don't have to use their shitty router xD

I guess mailing support would be best? I doubt call center agents would be able to help.
Or should I got to a store?

 

[Trump_Sama]

I have two Mikrotik LHG antennas, the CAT 7 and CAT18. The CAT18 one is far superior when it comes to stability on my farm.
I had an Axxess technician out on the farm yesterday. He tested all the networks and MTN is by far the best, but would still need to use my Mikrotik antenna to get the best possible speeds and stability.
Poynting antennas don't work or makes very little difference.

Here's the problem, MTN doesn't allow non whitelisted devices for their home LTE packages.

Solution from Axxess technician: If I own a whitelisted modem (which I do), I could use it's IMEI on my Mikrotik antenna and would be able to connect to MTN towers. He offered to set it up for me, for a fee.

Is this legal? Wouldn't this be cloning an IMEI nr?
I know he said that I shouldn't switch the whitelisted router on again whilst the Mikrotik is running and I should be good to go.

I asked him about the legality about it, he says it's a grey area as I'm doing this to improve my internet.

What should I do?

Using another device's IMEI on your MikroTik is generally considered IMEI cloning, even if it's your own router's IMEI. The fact that only one device is powered on at a time doesn't really change that.

I'd be very cautious about paying someone to do it. It could violate MTN's terms and conditions, and if something goes wrong you're the one who could end up with the problem, not the technician.

I'd rather look at a legitimate solution, such as an MTN-approved router with external antenna support, or ask MTN/Axxess whether they can whitelist your MikroTik if it's technically compatible. It might not be the answer you want, but it's a lot less risky than relying on a "grey area" workaround.

 

[bunnypants]

It is illegal, as others suggested, If you want to be on the safe side then you can try your luck by asking MTN to whitelist your Mikrotik or get an approved device as a replacement.

Realistically though, they will probably never know if just used your Mikrotik to clone the IMEI without going through any of the whitelisting hassle - Unless MTN's IDS goes beyond just checking the IMEI value against it's whitelist (which I doubt it does) you should be fine.

 

[NitroNapalm]

1 dont change your IMEI its Illegal,

2 MTN has fantastic firewalls so you would probably run into an issue.

3 there is Mikrotik hardware on the approved list from MTN but not the axxess platorm (I'm not sure what brainworms have gotten into axxess recently but their service is dropping FAST )
so it might be worth while getting directly from MTN / chatting with a microwave provider asbout a stable link option.

 

[Rickster]

How would MTN have every single IMEI number on database whether bought from them or a random shop?


I suppose you could just buy your own pre approved router and use that IMEI number.

 

[Phokkit]

Ok, so I went through the legal route and got my antenna approved
However, in the last 24hrs MTN has removed coverage from our area.
Nothing on their site, nothing on Axxess, nothing on Afrihost, however, Supersonic shows I've got access with MTN.

 

[Jaeson365]

Can I just chip in and say legal or illegal, it's somewhat irrelevant.

If it's such a small, arbitrary thing, sure, someone can sue you, but the courts will almost certainly throw it out, because it's just too trivial.

De minimis non curat lex

 

[Vlekkie]

How would MTN have every single IMEI number on database whether bought from them or a random shop?


I suppose you could just buy your own pre approved router and use that IMEI number.

you'd be surprised the IMEI records our telecom fucks have access to

 

[Th3Cha1rman]

There's no single IMEI Cloning law, but just because there isnt a law against it I would stay on the safe side.


I mean I guess they could sue MTN for this?

RICA (Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-related Information Act 70 of 2002), Section 40 + Section 51. Section 40 requires the mobile operator to record and store the MSISDN of the SIM being activated and the IMEI of the cellular phone that is to be used i.e., the SIM must be tied in the operator's records to a specific device by IMEI.

Feeding a false IMEI defeats that section's purpose. On penalties, section 51(3A) criminalises non-compliance with section 40; an MCO failing to comply with section 40(1), (2), (3) or (6) is liable to a fine or imprisonment not exceeding R100 000 for each day the failure continues, and under section 51(3B) a person who fails to comply with section 40(5) is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding R60 000 or 12 months' imprisonment. Section 40(5) is the customer-side duty the one that bites the user, not the operator.

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA