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Tengrinews.kz - Damir Seissembekov, head of the Telecommunications Committee at the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, has revealed the number of smartphones verified under Kazakhstan’s new mobile device registration rules.
According to Seissembekov, more than 12 million smartphones and other mobile devices have been verified across the country.
“We gave this period to ensure that everyone understands the new ‘rules of the game’. We’re starting from a clean slate to legalize all smartphones imported into the country. The 12 million includes all phones stored in warehouses and available in stores,” Seissembekov said.
He noted that certain devices — such as Wi-Fi routers, budget smartwatches, and machine-to-machine (M2M) devices — are being verified free of charge.
“This is an information system. It includes software and requires constant access to a database, obtaining certifications and accreditations. These must be hosted on specific devices and servers, and the companies involved are also paying taxes. We understand that this process requires certain costs,” Seissembekov added.
Previously, authorities extended the deadline for free smartphone verification for individuals until June 25. After that date, buyers will be able to return unverified smartphones to the seller, even if more than two weeks have passed since the purchase.
On February 11, the Ministry of Digital Development announced updates to mobile device registration rules. As of March 24, Kazakhstan introduced white, gray, and black lists for registering cellular devices. The white list includes fully verified and approved devices; the gray list covers devices pending verification and temporarily allowed to connect for up to 30 days; and the black list contains devices with incorrect or altered identification codes, missing factory IMEI numbers, or those flagged by the international GSMA blacklist.
Authorities initially planned for the new rules to take effect on March 24 but later granted residents additional time to complete verification.
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