IMEI

The format for IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identification Number) is:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO (e.g. 448895601326617)

• AB - Manufacturer Code
  • Alcatel = 33
  • Ericsson = 49, 52
  • LG = 90
  • Mitsubishi = 33
  • Motorola = 00, 40, 44, 50
  • NEC = 50
  • Nokia = 35, 44, 49
  • Samsung = 52
  • Siemens = 44
• CDEF - Type Approval Code, identifies the model number. It is AB code specific, that is country specific, hence the different codes for the same models listed below. (It may be better to combine the two AB and CDEF lists later). Some model numbers:
  • Nokia 3210 = 8890, 9206
  • Nokia 6110 = 0523
  • Nokia 6138 = 5502
  • Nokia 6150 = 3002
  • Nokia 7110 = 8904, 8895
  • Nokia 8810 = 0525
  • Nokia 8210 = 8902
  • Nokia 8850 = 8901
  • Nokia 8890 = 0003
  • Motorola iDEN i1000 = 0100
• GH - Final Assembly Code. Some manufacturing countries used by Nokia:
  • 07, 08 = Germany
  • 10 = Finland
  • 19, 40 = UK
  • 30 = Korea
  • 60 = ?
  • 67 = USA
  • 80 = China
• IJKLMN - a Serial Number
• O - Spare

So that 448895601326617 means:

• 44 - Nokia
• 8895 - Nokia 7110
• 60 - Country ?
• 132661 - Serial number
• 7 - Spare

For Nokia phones enter *#06# into your phone to get the IMEI number.

Update October 8, 2000. Extra CDEF code for Nokia 3210. Thanks alex.tan. Also added that the CDEF code (type approval code) is AB code specific (country specific).
Update February 2, 2002. Saige says 00 for AB and 0100 for the CDEF, for motorola iDEN i1000.

After
http://www.gadgetman.plus.com/7110e/faq.html#IMEI
http://www.cup.co.at/NOKIAtips.html
http://n9k.ats.pl/faqcenter_eng.html#IMEI

The spelling mistake in the title was intentional.

International Mobile Equipment Identifier

A 15 digit number unique to each mobile phone/device on GSM networks and numbers and letters on CDMA networks and is unique to the SIM card.

The number is in 4 groups of digits: xxxxxx--xx-xxxxxx-x - although it will be displayed as just a long sequence of digits.

• The first group of numbers is the TAC (Type Approval Code), of which the first 2 digits are the country code. "This code identifies the country in which type approval was sought for the phone, and the approval number. The first two digits of the TAC represent the country of approval." ³
• The second group of digits, the FAC (Final Assembly Code), represents the manufacturer of the device.
• The third group of digits is a serial number of the device.
• The last digit is usually 0 but on later devices, a checksum digit.

There has also been talk (⁴) of there being an additional 2 digits added to the end of the code (the SVN - Software Version Number).
There is some debate as to whether the first 2 digits is the approving country or not. It is - I checked with some friends of mine who write software for mobiles for a living!

The IMEI of a phone is used along with the unique number of the devices SIM card to produce an encryption key to be used in the communications.
Networks can 'see' the IMEI and use it to track devices, allow services (white listing) or even ban devices from the network (black listing).

To find out your IMEI number, just type *#06# into your phone and the number should just appear.

Sources
¹www.nokiausa.com/support/faq/glossary/1,4575,G%7CM,00.html
²www.webopedia.com/TERM/I/IMEI.html
³www.accesscomms.com.au/imei.htm
⁴http://www.tele-servizi.com/janus/texts/imei.txt
Work Experience

PS. lj points out http://www.nokiaport.de/imei/imei.htm which has a comprehensive list of Nokia TACs.