Smartphone tax may appear in USA (Topic)

USA parliamentarians are preparing a bill that may introduce a tax on smartphones in USA in the future as part of amendments to the current law "On Communications". While the initiative is at the level of discussions. The adoption of the law will mean new rules for USA phone owners, who will be obliged to register mobile devices in a specially created common database of IMEI numbers.

Count and rewrite everyone

The IMEI base will contain identification numbers of devices that can be freely used or prohibited in the country. The same databases with similar data will be formed by cellular operators. The new legislative initiative also assumes that all USA bases will be synchronized with the global one, to which several dozen countries have already connected. The international database contains extensive data on the "correct" smartphones that have passed certification, as well as information on the IMEI numbers of mobile devices that are stolen or lost.

The developers of the idea of the bill propose the introduction of additional measures to control all communication devices imported into the country. To this end, the bill provides for the mandatory registration of smartphones in USA in the all-USA IMEI database. At the same time, smartphones will be issued not only by legal entities-importers, but also by every owner of the device who has bought it abroad. The initiators of the legislative idea believe that the new registration system will help in the fight against counterfeit and theft.

Add to list for a fee

The all-USA database of numbers will consist of four lists. The list of legal devices, aka the white list, includes devices with permission for use in the country. The black list consists of blocked numbers, as well as stolen, lost or illegally brought devices. The list of exceptions consists of numbers that have an undefined status, that is, they are in the waiting mode for checking their legal import, but are temporarily allowed to connect to one of the mobile operators. In addition, there is a gray list, the characteristics of which have not yet been released.

The legislative initiative presupposes not only the mandatory nature of registration, but also the payment for its implementation. Under the new rules, the payment for registering a smartphone for ordinary users will be 100 rubles for each device. The system is open, so the user will be aware of which of the lists his device is on. The procedure will also help to clarify the legislative status of a smartphone before purchasing it.

Formation of a unified IMEI base and tax on smartphones in USA can have negative consequences for people who are used to buying gadgets abroad. Manufacturers already have a ready-made solution for this situation - the release of different versions of the same model, intended for the local and international consumer markets. However, such devices can still be blacklisted even if purchased legally in another country. A blocked number can be challenged using a special procedure, which is also spelled out in the proposed bill.

The Topic of Article: Smartphone tax may appear in USA.
Author: Jake Pinkman