AT&T unveils new option to hinder stolen iPhones

There is nothing worse than having your cellphone stolen, which is exactly why AT&T is set to launch a new service meant to hinder cellphone thieves. The new service will mean that AT&T customers can remotely shut down voice, data and SMS on stolen devices.

According to The Verge, AT&T has reportedly issued information to employees on how the service will work. Customers will be required to inform an appropriate AT&T rep of a missing phone, etc. By shutting down those three services, customers will prevent the phone from being used without having to endure the inconvenience of a SIM block.

One interesting tidbit however is that when turning off data services you will ultimately also be turning off the ability to use Apple’s Find My iPhone capability, which would impair users’ ability to track down their own phones. While there is no news on the costs or availability of this service, AT&T’s Press team commented:

“As announced in April, AT&T is creating a stolen phone database to prevent devices reported stolen from accessing wireless networks. We will install this availability next week for AT&T phones on our network and are working toward a cross-carrier solution later this year.”