Russian tourists in Egypt are facing mass mobile service blockages. The problem affects both smartphones with Egyptian SIM cards that tourists used previously, and Russian SIM cards in roaming.
According to vacationers, devices are blocked even before the promised 90 days after entry expire. To unlock, a fine must be paid: about 1,200 rubles for one phone, and up to 12,000 for another.
This can be done at communication offices in airports, but not everyone manages to do so due to long queues. Online unlocking via the Telephony application or website is almost impossible due to technical failures.
Some locals are exploiting the situation by offering tourists 4G modems for $35 to distribute Wi-Fi to blocked devices.
The reason for the blockages is a law adopted in Egypt in April 2025: all smartphones not officially registered in the country are disconnected from local networks. To avoid blocking, it is necessary to pay a tax of 38% of the phone's cost.
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