I really wanted to swear- a tourist who came to Uzbekistan narrates that he was confused by UzIMEI

Russian programmer Yevgeny Amiraslanov condemned the system of UzIMEI, saying that it is very difficult for long-term tourists to register their mobile phones in the system.  He wrote this on his blog.

According to Amiraslanov, it is more convenient for Uzbekistan citizens to register their phones in the UzIMEI system, but thanks to this system, tourists are confused.

“Uzbekistan has an IMEI registration system.  If you import a phone from abroad, you will have to pay 5 dollars, otherwise, in a month your phone will turn into a pumpkin, (it will not function) and you will not be able to use it for calls, mobile internet, or sending messages.  It is said that this measure is aimed at combating the black market of phones - to reduce the import of stolen, counterfeit goods.

For Uzbekistan citizens everything is simple and transparent: you visit to the country, enter a special USSD-code, send your data, pay the fee, register the phone and use it.  Furthermore, all this is done without getting up from the sofa.  The system is also convenient for tourists: if you stay in Uzbekistan for less than a month, you will not have problems with the phone.

However, for long-term visitors like me, things are a little more complicated.  You have to get up from the sofa, go somewhere personally, and apply.

The UzIMEI website indicates that the operations can be done at any post office. I went to the nearest post office to my house, but I was told that their office is not included in registration procedures and that I have to go to [General] post office.

According to the information of “Yandex Map”, the General Post Office works only on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00, which is during my working time.  I had to spend a few hours in the middle of work and then work even harder.

Twice I had to go to the post office. At the first visit, I was told that applications were not being accepted due to a failure in the system UzIMEI.  They told me that I could go into UzIMEI ‘s main office, but the line would be long, it would probably be better for me to come back a few days later.

When I returned the second time, the (General) post office had a long queue waiting to register.  I stood in line for about forty minutes and finally applied.  By the way, in order to register IMEI in Uzbekistan you need a local SIM card.  I had an Uzbek SIM card.  However, unfortunately, I was not able to register my IMEI due to an error in the registration data. They suggested that I go to my mobile operator’s office and ask the operator to update my passport details.

I tried a life hack: I went to the office of another mobile operator, double-checked my data, and got a new SIM card.  Then I waited in line for another twenty minutes and finally registered my IMEI.

Apart from all the running for taxis and the frayed nerves, it only took about $5 and three hours of work.

I didn’t just register IMEI myself.  I also had a friend who brought two: personal and work phones to Uzbekistan.  However, only one telephone may be registered at each entry into Uzbekistan.  As a result, of course, he registered his personal phone, and the work phone was kept “for the necessary situations”.

After a while, my phone broke and I had to fix it.  Then it was time to use the cellphone kept “for the necessary situations”: while my phone was being repaired, my friend gave his to me to use as a working phone.  The phone had no SIM card and should not have been blocked.  I also had to be able to use the phone for 30 days without registration, as it is now being taken across the border.

This didn’t work out.  It turns out that the phone will be blocked in Uzbekistan in 30 days, even if it is not used - probably because I have been using my SIM card on another phone for more than a month.

I will not draw any conclusions from this.  "At the end of my speech, I wanted to swear, but I did not swear," - Yevgeny concluded. 

In addition, the Russian programmer shared a link to the channel that collects features of the UzIMEI system in Uzbekistan and related ideas.

For reference, the system of registration of mobile devices by IMEI-codes on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan was introduced in accordance with the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of 17 September 2019, No. 778 "On the procedure for registration of mobile devices which are being used, imported or manufactured for sale or personal use in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan."  It has also been established to check the registration of the IMEI-code of the mobile device through the site uzimei.uz.

It should be recalled that Vinayak Nagaraj, chief economist of the World Bank's office in Uzbekistan, also described the UzIMEI system as an incomprehensible bureaucratic system, which is costly and complicated for Uzbekistan citizens and he further stated that this system would not lead an improvement in Uzbekistan, but rather damage.