MEID

Administration

As of August 2006, the TIA acts as the GHA to assign MEID code prefixes (0xA0 and up), and the GSM Association acts as the global decimal administrator. TIA also allocates IMEI codes, specifically destined for dual-technology phones, out of the RR=99 range. This range is commonly (but not exclusively) used for LTE-capable handsets with CDMA support. Other administrators working under GSMA may also allocate any IMEI for use in dual-technology phones. When allocating an IMEI in dual-technology phones, the 14-digit hexadecimal MEID is the first 14 decimal digits of the IMEI. For instance, Apple and LG normally use RR=35 which is allocated by BABT while Chinese brands such as Huawei use two RR=86 IMEIs allocated by TAF for 3GPP networks alongside a distinct RR=99 decimal or RR=A0 hexadecimal MEID for 3GPP2 networks. Every IMEI can also be used as an MEID in CDMA devices (as well as in single-mode devices designed with GSM or other 3GPP protocols) but MEIDs can also contain hexadecimal digits and this MEID variant cannot be used as an IMEI.