April 7: The fate of smartphones in Egypt is at risk... Will they survive the shutdown?

Starting midnight, Egypt will begin to block imported smartphones that have not paid the customs fees, which amount to around 38% of the device's value. The decision, activated after an announcement by the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and Customs Authority last January, includes an electronic system through the "Telemisr" app to allow citizens to register imported smartphones and pay the required fees. According to the decision, each person entering from abroad is allowed to bring in one imported phone without paying any fees, as long as they declare the device at customs or through the electronic app. As for residents in Egypt, authorities have granted them a 90-day period since the decision's implementation to pay the fees imposed on their phones, while visitors can leave with their devices without fees if they meet legal specifications. The deadline for fee payment was initially set to end by the end of last March but was extended by an additional week due to the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Therefore, as of April 7th, current phones that have not had the required fees paid will be blocked. This system, first activated in January, aims to regulate the imported phone market and combat device smuggling, as smartphone manufacturers in Egypt have complained about the increase in smuggled devices affecting their sales. The application of these customs fees also impacts second-hand imported phones purchased by citizens. These policies aim to strengthen the local industry, as some major companies like Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme, and Infinix are manufacturing their phones in Egypt.