In order to maintain the confidentiality of national defense security and military bases, the Ministry of National Defense stipulates that it is strictly prohibited to bring Chinese brand mobile phones, tablets, smart watches, and wearable devices into the camp. The mobile phones must be able to install the national military’s “MDM” monitoring system and are strictly prohibited from installing applications made in mainland China.
What are the latest regulations for carrying mobile phones when soldiers enter the army? What is MDM? What mobile phone is recommended to bring to the army? The following is a summary and explanation for the reference of those who are about to join the army:
What are the regulations for enlisted soldiers to bring mobile phones into the camp? In 2013, the Ministry of National Defense began to allow smartphones to be carried. However, in order to ensure the security and confidentiality of the camp, it is required that Chinese brand mobile phones and Chinese-made mobile phones cannot be carried, and the National Army MDM “Smartphone Automation Management System” must be downloaded. The following is a summary video and detailed description of the specifications for carrying mobile phones when enlisting in the military and a list of recommended mobile phones:
1. The Ministry of National Defense announced the latest regulations on mobile phone use in camps:
In the past, Taiwan restricted military officers and soldiers from entering the camps to only use feature phones without camera functions. Since the Hong Zhongqiu case in 2013, the National Army has begun to relax restrictions on the use of mobile phones in the camps in order to strengthen recruitment incentives. However, considering the possible security risks of using smartphones in the camps, the use of Chinese-made mobile phones is prohibited. Mobile phones of any model or brand cannot have camera, Internet, WiFi and other functions to ensure information security. Since 2016, the Ministry of National Defense and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have cooperated to launch the “Smartphone Automation Management System” (MDM). Before all military officers and soldiers enter the camp, the model, purpose and code of the mobile phone will be registered and managed, and a control program will be installed to restrict the use of functions such as taking photos, clocking in, hotspot sharing and Bluetooth transmission on the smartphone.
The current restrictions on the use of mobile phones in military camps are mainly based on the “Key Points for the Management of Civilian Communications and Information Equipment in National Military Camps” revised and announced by the Ministry of National Defense on June 19, 2014. It stipulates that smartphones can be brought into military camps but must be installed with the “National Military MDM Mobile Device Management System”, but Chinese brand mobile phones and downloading of Chinese-made APPs are prohibited. Mobile phones must be used within the designated time and area of the unit. Taking pictures, recording videos, checking in, positioning and hotspot sharing are strictly prohibited and should be kept in a centralized manner after use.
The latest management points particularly emphasize that official mobile phones are strictly prohibited from installing applications made in mainland China: such as Tik Tok, WeChat, Sina Weibo, Tencent QQ, bilibili, Xiaohongshu, Baidu Cloud, etc. Personal mobile phones should also avoid installing the above-mentioned software and uploading or talking about military affairs and images, and avoid providing personal sensitive information (such as ID number, bank account number, credit card information, etc.) in communication software. If a person is found to have violated or violated the law, he should cooperate with relevant departments such as legal affairs, communications, supervision, and security to investigate the case, and be punished appropriately in accordance with the “Army, Navy and Air Force Punishment Law” and the “National Military Information Security Rewards and Punishment Regulations”; in addition, if it involves the leakage of national defense secret information or damage to the national militaryThose with military honor will be investigated according to law.
As for the ban on Chinese brand mobile phones, it is based on the “Key Points for the Management of Civilian Communications and Information Equipment in National Military Camps” revised and announced on November 3, 2012, which stipulates that 11 Chinese brand mobile phones including Xiaomi (Redmi, POCO), ZTE, OPPO (Realme, OnePlus), Huawei, VIVO, Meitu, Gionee, Nubia (Red Devils), Tianlong Mobile, Lenovo, Honor, etc. are banned. However, because the information on this Chinese brand mobile phone is relatively old, the actual regulations follow the regulations of military camps in various countries. The more controversial one currently is MOTOROLA. This brand is currently owned by Lenovo but is a well-known American brand. It was not included in the restrictions in the past, but some netizens reported that it has been banned. Details have yet to be confirmed.
2. What is the MDM of the Taiwan National Army?
[MDM] (Mobile Device Managemnt), a smart phone automated management system, is a smart phone control program launched by the Taiwanese National Army in 2016 in cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It prohibits military officers and soldiers from turning on GPS, Bluetooth, wireless hotspots, cameras and other functions after entering the camp. It will also record the time you use the phone and whether there are any functions that cannot be turned on. If the phone is locked, you must return to the Ministry of National Defense Information Security Center to unlock it.
When entering the controlled barracks, military officers and soldiers must install MDM. If you open the APP in the camp but it is not locked, the phone will display a red screen. Military officers and soldiers must open the app and click lock before entering the camp, and the screen will show a green screen, which is convenient for gate guards and camp management cadres to check before entering; After leaving the camp for 2-3 kilometers, press the unlock icon and the GPS will automatically turn on to detect the current location. If detected in a non-camp area, it will be unlocked. However, if the GPS is unstable and the detection fails or the phone is restarted, the MDM will be locked. There is basically no need to worry about being monitored when using MDM because it does not automatically transmit personal data back to the Department of Defense.
MDM is available in iOS and Android versions, but there are minimum version restrictions (such as Android version 5.0 or above), rooting is not possible, and all accounts must be logged out. For details on how to download, please see [MDM website】：
The following is a reference method for setting up and temporarily disabling MDM of the National Army. To completely uninstall MDM, you must have system administrator rights. On the day of completion of training or discharge, the military commander will assign a dedicated person to be responsible for unlocking it. The process is roughly as follows: first open MDM → press to cancel the app → enter a set of serial numbers and get a string of passwords → cancel.
Note: The setting method is for reference only, and the operation of each mobile phone brand shall prevail:
3. List of mobile phones recommended for enlistment. It is recommended to buy a spare machine, AB machine is strictly prohibited:
Since the environment of the enlisted camp is prone to collisions and scratches on mobile phones, and collective storage and management may be lost, and MDM (Mobile Device Management) needs to be installed to lock cameras, GPS and other functions, the experience of using high-priced mobile phones is very different from usual. The class will recommend using old or second-hand smartphones as a safer option.
If you have served in the military for more than one year (inclusive), it is recommended to purchase a spare machine.
However, old mobile phones may break down at any time and the battery life is worrying. If the military service period is one year or more, the moderator recommends that it is best to buy an affordable backup phone for use. For spare phones, you can give priority to purchasing new phones from famous telecommunications stores with an empty price of less than $5,000 and features large battery and large screen. We recommend the following four low-priced new phones:
A.Samsung A17 5G (6GB/128GB; 8GB/128GB)。
B.Samsung A07 5G(4GB/128GB)。
C.SHARP AQUOS wish4( 6GB/128GB)。
D.Motorola g56 ( 8GB/128GB)。
Please do not take it personally and use the AB machine.
[AB phone] is a means to circumvent cell phone control, which means that the user holds two mobile phones: one (fake phone, old phone or non-functional phone) is the “A phone” given to the unit (such as the army, school) for safekeeping, and the other is the “B phone” that is used privately and has normal functions. This is common when military officers and soldiers of the People’s Republic of China circumvent MDM (Mobile Device Management) software controls or when students have to keep their mobile phones in centralized custody at the school.
The National Army has the obligation to maintain national defense security and the confidentiality of military bases. The Ministry of National Defense has announced in the past that it will purchase handheld wireless network detectors and send them to the three armed forces. It will strictly investigate and deal with the use of AB machines by national officers and soldiers to circumvent mobile phone controls to ensure the security of camp information and national defense secrets. Servicemen or professional soldiers are not allowed to use AB machines to test the law.
Source: KOCPC Chinese