Egypt’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) confirmed the suspension of around 60,000 mobile devices suspected of violating regulatory rules on mobile devices brought into the country by travelers.
In a statement, the NTRA said the devices were suspended pending the completion of verification procedures. It reaffirmed that the exemption allowing each traveler to bring in one mobile phone through official customs channels remains in effect during the ongoing trial period of the mobile phone governance system.
The NTRA said the devices were flagged through its electronic monitoring system. Since the system’s launch on 1 January, 650,000 mobile phones have been exempted under this one-device rule.
However, a recent review revealed that 13,000 of the devices had obtained exemptions through illegal means, violating customs and regulatory procedures. These devices will remain suspended.
Conversely, 47,000 mobile phones were found to be eligible for the exemption and have since been reactivated.
According to regulations set by the NTRA and the Egyptian Customs Authority (ECA), travelers are permitted to bring one mobile phone into the country for personal use without taxation, provided the device is declared to a customs officer upon arrival.
The mobile phone governance system, introduced at the start of 2025, aims to regulate the registration and taxation of imported mobile devices and curb the entry of smuggled phones into Egypt.
Source: Al-Ahram Online
