OREANDA-NEWS Some Samsung smartphones, which were imported to Russia as part of parallel import, stopped turning on and being activated in the country.

According to one of the retailers, a user has problems activating their device after installing a Russian SIM card in a Samsung smartphone imported into the country through parallel import. The device does not turn on and cannot be used.

As explained by a source in Samsung, the problem arises due to the fact that importers are purchasing devices that are designed to work with a particular telecom operator. This practice is used in many countries and with many manufacturers. For example, in the US, one can buy a "locked" iPhone under a contract with a telecom operator and make a monthly payment of few tens of dollars. In this case, the user cannot change the telecom operator, and upon termination of the contract, he will have to pay the full cost of the phone.

Eldar Murtazin, Mobile Research Group analyst, says that the problem affected about 20 percent of new Samsung smartphones imported through parallel import. According to his estimates, about 50,000 smartphones from the Korean manufacturer were imported this way in May. Murtazin clarifies that the manufacturer blocks any devices imported from the countries of the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and China. Smartphones, officially put on the market of the EAEU countries, can be activated in Russia without any problems. Thus, in order to activate a smartphone in Russia, brought, for example, from India, a user needs to install a SIM card from an Indian operator.

However, some retail outlets are already offering smartphones activated in countries where they are officially sold.