The idea is to enable the government to build a register of mobile phones in the UK. The reason is to help identify phone owners, and most particularly those who buy prepaid mobile phones, which can currently be obtained without the need for any ID at the point of purchase.

Apparently it is the anonymity of purchase which makes prepay phones popular among criminals and terrorists as they can't be identified as the owners or users of the phones.

It looks as though the rule could pop up in the forthcoming draft Communications Data Bill.

It will be interesting to see how the Bill suggests dealing with things like mobile phones brought into the UK from abroad, stolen phones that are sold on, or simply an individual deciding to sell their phone after upgrading.

Meanwhile, I am interested to know what IT Counts readers think of the idea. Good or bad? Workable or not? An infringement on your right to privacy or a necessary step in the modern world?