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Nokia is working on a way to prevent thieves making calls on stolen
cellphones. Though a PIN may be needed to activate the phone, that’s no use if
the phone is already activated when it’s stolen. Nokia’s idea (EP 1170969) is to
issue the owner with a blocking code. When the phone is stolen, the owner calls
its number and keys in the code, or sends it in a text message. This immediately
stops the phone working, wherever it is, and with any SIM card, until a matching
code is entered to unlock it. The locked phone can, however, still make calls to
just one number—one you chose earlier or sent with the locking message. So
anyone finding a discarded cellphone can inform the rightful owner.