Ever wanted to buy one of the latest Nokia models in Egypt? Models like the N95 or the N82, or even one of the new ultimate business phones like the E66 or E71, even the more than a year old E90?
The truth is you can, but not through the authorized dealers. Here is the story.
Back in April this year, I was in Dubai, where they had just launched the N82. For Moblogging and Photoblogging purposes, the N82 is a great companion, packed with features like Wifi, 3.5G speed, 5MP camera and a GPS. However, the GPS is the feature that killed my excitement, not that I hate the feature, or that I’m allergic to it, but GPS enabled telephones are banned in Egypt. I was even got more shocked when I called one of the main distributors in Egypt and learned that not only they are banned to be sold in Egypt, but also the dealers are not allowed even to fix a telephone that has GPS built in – Beautiful (The H Dabour Way).
So, ladies and gents, I am sarcastically proud to announce that Egypt is one of the two nations in the world (The other being Syria) who have the GPS enabled mobile phones banned, now isn’t that beautiful? But wait it gets better.
Devices like the HTC and the Blackberry all also have GPS built in. I know for a fact that GPS featured (but disabled) HTCs are being sold through legal distributors in Egypt, and that you could enable the GPS by simply flashing the phone, but I’d rather be seen dead than use a Windows Mobile device.
A future victim to this technological rape (or should we call it circumcision, as a piece of the device is removed for a definite purpose :P ) will be Apple’s iPhone. Considered to be one of the sexiest phones out there, with an outstanding user interface, simple to use, an oh shit, GPS. A few weeks ago I was talking with one of the responsible at Apple in Egypt, he said that the phone has to be launched as there is a solid contract with both Vodafone and Orange (Mobinil) to launch and sell the iPhone in Egypt, but most probably, the GPS will be disabled. Of course our friends back in Apple International do not get the logic of why Egypt are requesting GPS disabled iPhones, well the logic is quite simple.
Some intelligent (actually very intelligent) people in this country are with the belief that GPS in phones will be used for spying, and that anyone will be located anywhere in the country. For the love of God, already being on a GSM network you are being easily tracked (even when your phone is switched off), it’s not disabling a GPS in the phone that will make you invisible. Besides, with the massive satellites up there, rest assured that the color of your poop is also being monitored, so just leave the GPS systems out of it.
For this reason, I am happy to know that we are stuck with outdated telephone models for quite some time, until someday, the logic gets reconsidered.
Ta7ya Masr!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Heheheeeeeeeee..
I like your humor/serious mix!!!!
Well, i myself got the N95 from Kuwait and didnt care much about the repair dilemma..
We usually dont keep the same mobile for more
than one year anyway, and that’s when we start having software problems.
So, yala go get your dream piece, hell with banning and censoring shit!
Thank god someone agrees with me! I wrote a similar post here http://nseriesblog.com/2008/08/30/once-again-were-ignored/
But somethin to cheer ya up,it’s not just us and the Syrians who aren’t getting these sexy phones, North Koreans and people from Sri Lanka are with us in the same dilemma.
ya,Egypt is nothing…so outdated,small thinker,dirty and irritating people country.
For the person who wrote “ya,Egypt is nothing…so outdated,small thinker,dirty and irritating people country.”
Egypt isn’t nothing at all, may be some outdated minds on the security mind out here but Egypt is everything for us so let’s avoid the political views here..
Actually I’m very upset as I have just bought a new iPhone and the GPS is disabled and seems nothing will unlock it soon, so it’s really a a very bad side of that
I’m trying to sell a new N96 with GPS (I am in Lebanon and bought the phone in the States.) Can I ship to Egypt? You think Egypt is behind. Lebanon telecom is the worst and most expensive of all. I called my provider today and they said I can’t access WAP from the N96. So why did I buy it? I’ll never know. If you or someone you know is interested, let’s help each other out. $650 for the phone. Another 110 for a wireless keyboard. Email me jdnajem@gmail.com.
I’m from South Africa & wanted the iPhone. But when it arrived I decided in favour of Samsung Omnia which was rated as a better phone.
But then I made the decision to come to Egypt and didn’t buy the Omnia, staying with my old phone-Samsung G600. Silly me. I’m now in Cairo & want the Omnia. But I was told it doesn’t come with a warranty because of GPS-which doesn’t make sense since the GPS is disabled!
I also find it very strange that there are no contract packages available-& all handsets are only sold for cash. That’s what I was told by store assistants. I thought the iPhone was available on contract though.
If you know please drop me a reply. Thanks
Egypt authority removed the ban over GPS phones now. many dealers now started to sell the GPS phones Nokis E71 and other.
Vodafone and Mobinil announced also about the HTC diamond with GPS and maps.
Thank God.
hey hey , i’m from syria , and i bought nokia 5730 XM
i just wanted to ask about the disapled GPS Phones
did the companys unlocked the old locked gps phones
if somebody knows mailme @ “ahmad.947@hotmail.com”
Sorry for my englesh but that’s my english
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