The start of implementing the decision to organize mobile phones after the Eid: Stop service for the devices that are not paid to the fees
The National Communications Regulatory Authority issued an official statement on its Facebook page, in which he invited citizens from mobile phone users imported from abroad during the recent period, and the fees prescribed on it were not paid, to accelerate the payment of these fees before the scheduled deadline ended.
The agency confirmed that starting on Tuesday, April 7, the devices whose fees have not been final will be suspended from working on all mobile networks operating in Egypt, namely: “Wei, Vodafone, Orange, and Etisalat”.
This measure was scheduled to be applied starting from the first of April, but the government decided to postpone it until after the end of the blessed Eid Al -Fitr holiday, to provide an additional time for citizens to legalize their conditions.
A decisive decision to stop evading and organizing the market
The decision includes all mobile phones that were imported individually and the customs fees prescribed to them and this procedure aims to impose a more organized system on the mobile phone market, and to confront the phenomenon of smuggling devices from abroad without paying the fees due, which will harm the local economy and negatively affect the national industry.
The Customs Authority indicated that the imposed fines come within a broader strategy to support the localization of the mobile phone industry in Egypt, and to encourage investment in this vital sector.
“Phone” application to know and pay the fees
To facilitate the procedures for citizens, the government launched a “phone” application at the beginning of this year, which can be downloaded on Android and iPhone phones and the application allows users to enter the data of their devices to know the value of the fees due and pay them electronically, before the deadline on April 7.
The statements of the Minister of Communications
In press statements, Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, confirmed that the governance of mobile phone imports aims to address the challenges of smuggling devices and protect the local market and the national product, noting that the decision is not just a way to collect fees, but rather a step towards a comprehensive reform that achieves a balance in the Egyptian mobile market.
