IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. Every mobile device sold has one — a 15-digit number that identifies the hardware, regardless of which SIM is inside.
How to find your IMEI
Dial *#06# on any phone. It also appears on the original box and (on most devices) under Settings → About.
Why it matters
Carriers use IMEI to block stolen phones from their networks. If your phone is reported stolen, the IMEI goes onto a shared blocklist and no UK network will let it connect — even with a new SIM.
The IMEI is separate from the EID (which identifies your eSIM chip) and the ICCID (which identifies the SIM profile).
See also
How IMEI matters when picking a UK mobile plan
Understanding IMEI helps you compare mobile providers on a like-for-like basis. Most consumer mobile pricing pages skip the technical detail — knowing the terminology means you can spot when a plan is genuinely better and when it just sounds that way. The Fuse Mobile glossary keeps definitions short and consumer-focused, no jargon-on-jargon.
Fuse Mobile is a UK multi-network data-only eSIM — it gives your phone access to all four UK mobile networks (EE, Three, Vodafone, O2) through a single profile. Where IMEI is relevant to that setup, it's surfaced explicitly: pricing pages show real numbers, the coverage checker shows live per-network signal, and there's no hidden fee structure. See the plans page for the current pricing or read the multi-network eSIM explainer for the technical detail.