Buying a new phone in the current market(PTA approval, IMEI and DIRBS)

[Enferno]

Hello,

So, I have a couple of questions and need different opinions regarding buying an iPhone. I wanted to buy an iPhone 11(base model), I have the budget, but giving the import duties and device registration fee I reckon it will be atleast have a price difference of 50k-60k in Pakistan. So my question is
1. Should I import the phone and not register it and have it remain Non-PTA approved, is there a chance that the duties and registration fees drops or the government come to their senses and give us some sort of leeway because giving the current situation, the number of people who can afford new phones have shrunk considerably, the traders are suffering from losses and the government may not really be earning anything considerable from duties and registrations because people will just stop buying phones. Is it better to wait it out?
2. I have done some searching and from the looks of it we can change the IMEI number of our phones. Pretty straightforward in android with a software but Jailreaking is a prerequisite for iPhones but still fairly easy giving the right software(most sites have suggested ZiPhone). I'm thinking to change the IMEI of the iPhone to an IMEI already registered. Is this feasible?

 

[murtaza12]

Hello,

So, I have a couple of questions and need different opinions regarding buying an iPhone. I wanted to buy an iPhone 11(base model), I have the budget, but giving the import duties and device registration fee I reckon it will be atleast have a price difference of 50k-60k in Pakistan. So my question is
1. Should I import the phone and not register it and have it remain Non-PTA approved, is there a chance that the duties and registration fees drops or the government come to their senses and give us some sort of leeway because giving the current situation, the number of people who can afford new phones have shrunk considerably, the traders are suffering from losses and the government may not really be earning anything considerable from duties and registrations because people will just stop buying phones. Is it better to wait it out?
2. I have done some searching and from the looks of it we can change the IMEI number of our phones. Pretty straightforward in android with a software but Jailreaking is a prerequisite for iPhones but still fairly easy giving the right software(most sites have suggested ZiPhone). I'm thinking to change the IMEI of the iPhone to an IMEI already registered. Is this feasible?

1) Unlikely that govt will reduce duties any time soon.
It'll get blocked after 60 days if being used while non approved.

2) You can't change IMEI on iPhones.

 

[error]

Government recently reduced duties on iPhone from 37520rs to 31520rs.

Sent from my Realme 3 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Enferno]

Hello,

So, I have a couple of questions and need different opinions regarding buying an iPhone. I wanted to buy an iPhone 11(base model), I have the budget, but giving the import duties and device registration fee I reckon it will be atleast have a price difference of 50k-60k in Pakistan. So my question is
1. Should I import the phone and not register it and have it remain Non-PTA approved, is there a chance that the duties and registration fees drops or the government come to their senses and give us some sort of leeway because giving the current situation, the number of people who can afford new phones have shrunk considerably, the traders are suffering from losses and the government may not really be earning anything considerable from duties and registrations because people will just stop buying phones. Is it better to wait it out?
2. I have done some searching and from the looks of it we can change the IMEI number of our phones. Pretty straightforward in android with a software but Jailreaking is a prerequisite for iPhones but still fairly easy giving the right software(most sites have suggested ZiPhone). I'm thinking to change the IMEI of the iPhone to an IMEI already registered. Is this feasible?

1) Unlikely that govt will reduce duties any time soon.
It'll get blocked after 60 days if being used while non approved.

2) You can't change IMEI on iPhones.

I was thinking to wait till the iPhone 11 launches and as the price is the highest it's ever been maybe they'll offer some sort of turnaround because the current system is just not feasible and not helping anybody.

- - - Updated - - -

Government recently reduced duties on iPhone from 37520rs to 31520rs.

Sent from my Realme 3 Pro using Tapatalk

Thank you, that's what I was thinking. Maybe they'll come to their senses and offer a reasonable solution in the future.

 

[error]

FBR moves to slash duties on import of mobile phones

Sent from my Realme 3 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Enferno]

FBR moves to slash duties on import of mobile phones

Sent from my Realme 3 Pro using Tapatalk

If I buy a phone from abroad what's the total amount I'll have to pay to have it activated here? 31,000 + 16,000?

 

[Lord Ammar]

Do you have any figures to back up your claim that these taxes aren't earning the government anything? I see people with expensive af phones every day. Doesn't look to have made a difference.

 

[Enferno]

Do you have any figures to back up your claim that these taxes aren't earning the government anything? I see people with expensive af phones every day. Doesn't look to have made a difference.

I didn't say that these taxes aren't earning anything. I said, because of these taxes a lot of people would not buy phones(myself included, I bought the iphone 7 from saudia when it first came out and I have the budget for the iphone 11 but not the extra 30-40k for pta-approval), especially new phones. That's why all these mobile shops owners were protesting because they see a considerable loss. I'm sure there are some people that don't mind the increased prices money is not an issue to them. A sudden increase of 30k-40k in a phone you were eyeing for some time is a deal breaker to many people. If someone was saving up for the iPhone X will now have to buy the iPhone 8 because of the huge price surge.

 

[mohsinmk]

Hey guys i bought a samsungs8+ from dubai in 2017 , How much tax I have to may to get it PTA verified?

 

[murtaza12]

Hey guys i bought a samsungs8+ from dubai in 2017 , How much tax I have to may to get it PTA verified?

Make an account on DIRBS website and enter the IMEI, it will calculate the amount and tell you.

 

[Enferno]

Anybody have an idea what's the RD and PTA activation charges for the iPhone 11? I've heard DIRBS is not registering the phone right now, the duty is not being calculated. Can anyone confirm this?