An international nonprofit membership organization with representation for the wireless communications industry announced its commitment to combat smartphone theft.

The CTIA-The Wireless Association along with "participating" wireless companies announced the "Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Commitment," an effort by the wireless industry to tackle smartphone theft in the United States (U.S.).

The "Commitment" involves a two-part approach.

Part I of the voluntary commitment requests each device manufacturer and operating system signatory have new smartphone models with a "baseline" anti-theft tool either preloaded or downloadable on wireless smartphones that would enable the device owner to erase personal information, render the smartphone inoperable, prevent reactivation without the owner's permission, and reverse the inoperability if the device is recovered after it was lost or stolen.

Part II of the "Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Commitment" asks network carriers to allow the availability and full usability of the anti-theft tools.

The "Voluntary Commitment," however, request signatories to enact the anti-theft tools on models manufactured after July 2015. In addition, the CTIA does not want the consumer to pay extra money for the "kill switch" capabilities.

Several network operators, device manufacturers, and operating system companies have confirmed their participating with the voluntary commitment including Apple, Asurion, AT&T, Google, HTC America, Huawei Device USA, Motorola Mobility, Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless.

"We appreciate the commitment made by these companies to protect wireless users in the event their smartphones are lost or stolen," said CTIA President and CEO Steve Largent. "This flexibility provides consumers with access to the best features and apps that fit their unique needs while protecting their smartphones and the valuable information they contain."

Largent added the important of having different smartphone anti-theft technology in order to avoid potential loopholes from hackers and criminals.

"By working together with policymakers, law enforcement and consumers, we will deter theft and protect users' personal information on smartphones," the CTIA President and CEO stated.

Politicians have been working on combatting smartphone theft in the U.S., notably members in Congress. As Latin Post reported, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced the "The Smartphone Theft Prevention Act" in February. The proposed legislation would mandate smartphones to have a "kill switch" in order to protect consumers and combat theft.

"Cell phone theft has become a big business for thieves looking to cash in on these devices and any valuable information they contain, costing consumers more than $30 billion every year and endangering countless theft victims," said Sen. Klobuchar. "This legislation will help eliminate the incentives for criminals to target smartphones by empowering victims to take steps to keep their information private, protect their identity and finances, and render the phone inoperable to the thieves."

The Smartphone Theft Prevention Act acknowledges that the "kill switch" technology should be offered free of charge to the consumer and prevent anyone from activating the smartphone except for the original owner.

According to a report from Heider College of Business at Creighton University, Dr. William Duckworth calculated smartphone owners could save up to $2.6 billion a year if "kill switch" technology was available by manufacturers.

As Latin Post reported, wireless companies have been hesitant to incorporate such "kill switches" due to the revenue the industry earns from selling phone insurance and replacement phone costs regardless if the device is lost or stolen.

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