How to check if a phone is PTA approved
A phone that is not registered with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority can stop connecting to local networks, which turns an expensive handset into a Wi-Fi-only device. You can check a phone’s status yourself in about two minutes, before any money changes hands. Here is exactly how, and how to read the answer you get.
Find the IMEI first
Every phone has a 15-digit IMEI that identifies the handset itself, not the SIM or the owner. Dial *#06# and it appears on screen instantly — no app, nothing to unlock.
It is also printed on the original box, in Settings under About phone, and on the SIM tray of many newer phones. On a dual-SIM handset two IMEIs appear; you will want to check both.
Check the status with PTA
PTA runs the register, so the authoritative check is PTA’s own, and it is free. By SMS: type the 15-digit IMEI and send it to 8484. On the web: open dirbs.pta.gov.pk, enter the IMEI and press Check. PTA’s DIRBS app does the same on Android.
If the phone has more than one IMEI, check each one — a device is only as clear as its worst IMEI.
What the result means
PTA replies with one of three words, and they are not the same thing. Compliant means approved by both GSMA and PTA — this is the one you want. Valid means a genuine IMEI but not PTA-approved, so the phone may face a SIM block until it is registered. Invalid means the IMEI is not recognised as genuine at all — treat it as a red flag and do not pay.
Any registration duty is set by PTA and FBR and it changes, so check the current amount on PTA’s own tool rather than trusting a number a seller quotes.
Where Mobilo fits
Mobilo is not PTA, and it does not scrape PTA’s systems. What Mobilo adds is the rest of the picture a PTA check does not cover: whether the same IMEI has been reported stolen, how often it has been listed for sale, and — where a unit has been inspected — its condition grade, each shown with its source and each kept separate.
Run the IMEI through PTA for the registration status, and through Mobilo for its history. A phone should pass both.
Common questions
- Does a "Compliant" result mean the phone is definitely genuine?
- It means PTA recognises the IMEI as approved. Also confirm the IMEI on screen (*#06#) matches the box and the body, and that the phone physically checks out.
- The seller says it is "PTA approved" — is that enough?
- No. Verify it yourself by SMS to 8484. A seller’s word is worth knowing and is not proof.
- What if only one of two IMEIs is compliant?
- Treat the phone by its worst result, and ask the seller why they differ before you buy.