The ‘Telephony’ app has recently been launched by the government to facilitate the registration of mobile phones imported from abroad.
Many citizens are using the app to determine if their mobile phones are subject to any fees to avoid service disruption.
The government seeks to use the app to register data for mobile devices imported from abroad, which will be mandatory for devices entering Egypt after the implementation of the new regulations.
Failure to register and pay the customs duties of 38 percent of the mobile phone’s value will result in the phone being deactivated within 90 days.
The government has also clarified that individuals entering the country with more than one imported mobile phone will be required to pay the specified customs duties of 38.5 percent.
However, personal mobile phones will be exempt from customs duties.
Upon arrival, owners of these devices must immediately report to a customs officer to register their phones and ensure continued service.
To check the customs duties for an imported mobile phone, users must download the ‘Telephony’ app from the ‘App Store’ for iPhones or ‘Google Play’ for Android devices.
Follow these steps:
- Enter the 15-digit IMEI number. This can be found by going to Settings > General > About Phone.
- Click on ‘Verify’.
- The system will display the customs duties, if any. If there are no duties, the amount will be zero.
The Deputy Minister of Finance for Tax Policies, Sherif al-Kilany, stated in previous television interviews: “Those who do not pay the customs duties on imported mobile phones will end up with a useless piece of metal. We have a governance system in coordination with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to monitor and enforce this.”
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
