Russian operators have proposed introducing a fee for registering smartphones in the IMEI database — the corresponding initiative has been submitted to the Ministry of Digital Development. If it is adopted, devices without registration may simply not work on the network.
IMEI is the unique code of every phone. Using it, operators identify the device on the network, while banks verify that it is the actual owner logging into the app, not a fraudster.
The idea is to create a unified device registry and at the same time obtain a new source of income for the industry. Operators propose directing these funds to a special fund for network development and import substitution.
At the same time, this is expected to reduce "gray" imports: smartphones brought in without paying taxes could be blocked. According to market participants' estimates, this could bring up to 30 billion rubles to the budget.
But there is a nuance — in the end, users will most likely be the ones paying. Experts note that regardless of the scheme used (through sellers or importers), the costs will simply be built into the price of devices.
Similar practice already exists in other countries. For example, in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, registration of one smartphone costs about 500–700 rubles, while in Turkey, for 2026, the official IMEI fee is 54,258 Turkish lira, or 92,238 rubles.
For now, the draft law remains at the discussion stage, and the key question — who exactly will pay — remains open.
At the same time, market participants themselves believe that the industry also needs other support measures: cheaper loans, looser tariff regulation, and benefits for equipment. Without this, network modernization and the transition to domestic solutions may slow down.
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