Kazakhstan to radically change smartphone sales rules

Kazakhstan is poised to implement significant changes to its smartphone sales regulations, aiming to bolster consumer rights and ensure product quality. Under new norms established by the law on the development of the telecommunications market and data centers, any smartphone failing verification will be legally classified as a product of improper quality.

This reclassification empowers buyers with a range of options. They can demand a price reduction, request free defect elimination, seek reimbursement for repair costs, opt for a replacement with a similar model, exchange it for a different brand with a price adjustment, or terminate the contract and receive a full refund. These claims must be directed to the original seller.

Previously, consumers faced issues where phones worked initially but were later disconnected from mobile services after their IMEI codes failed verification upon connecting to a Kazakhstani network. The new law directly addresses this by recognizing the absence of verification as an inherent defect. Furthermore, sellers will be obligated to provide buyers with the smartphone's identification code (IMEI) before the sale. They must also proactively check the IMEI against state databases to confirm the device is not blocked, restricted, or unverified, with sales of non-compliant phones being prohibited across both physical stores and e-commerce platforms.