Russians will no longer be able to buy a phone in foreign stores

Back in the spring of this year, information appeared that the Russian authorities want to ban the use of Gray phones. Today it became known that telecom operators have begun large-scale preparations for a new initiative. What awaits us and who needs it - let's figure it out.

Identification of smartphones by IMEI in Russia

What will happen in general: authorities will create a database that will include unique numbers of subscriber devices - IMEI. Only gadgets that were legally imported into the country, that is, through “white” suppliers and retailers, will be brought into it.

This means that buying a phone on AliExpress andany other Internet portal will fail anymore. Such gadgets simply will not work - the system will automatically disconnect them from the cellular network of any operator, so that the device, in fact, will turn into a beautiful brick.

Pilot testing has already beguna project in which Beeline, Megafon and Tele2 take part. At the same time, the bill, which would allow the authorities to block phones, is not even ready yet. The State Duma is now working on this, but for now the system is already in full testing.

Who benefits from the ban on gray smartphones in Russia?

Obviously, the new initiative claims totitle "the main absurdity of the year." The official position of the authorities is as follows: by blocking the "gray" IMEI, it will also be possible to block stolen smartphones. What is the use of this - it is not clear. Thief sad and return the gadget to the owner?

In fact, once again everything rests onmoney. The state is dissatisfied that taxes are not paid from gadgets from abroad, and the new law will change that. It’s just not clear what people or foreign retailers have to pay for a state that has nothing to do with business. All that stands in the way between the seller and the buyer is a delivery service that pays the government tax. Claiming more is absurd.

Russian retailers win even more,which are gradually dying out due to falling demand. Huge shops, stupid promotions and constant fraud scare away customers, and they go to buy smartphones in foreign online stores. Accordingly, the profit of our retailers falls below the plinth. The new initiative will fix this, because the Russians will have no choice but to buy a smartphone at home.

To summarize, we can say the following: the new initiative is a gross attempt to earn and “pull” domestic retailers from the bottom. The rights of Russians here, as usual, are not taken into account. True, given the previous initiatives, it is very likely that everything will go according to the classical scenario - the system will work crookedly, and even a student with instructions from the Internet will be able to get around it.