Once Again, We’re Ignored
Kirollos Fares | August 30, 2008
“This was written the day of the launch of the N79 and N85 on a beautiful sandy beach in Hurghada, I simply wrote this because I’m fed up with Nokia’s ignorance to this issue.”
Disclaimer: I’ll try to regard this as the last time I rant about this, so please try to relate to the poor suckers that live in Egypt without legal GPS goodness.
Problem: GPS devices are banned in Egypt for no reason at all, that means we don’t get to buy/try/see/touch/feel 
cool devices like others all over the world.
Today marks the gazillion Nokia phone launch with the release of yet another two ultra cool Nseries devices with GPS on board, and unlike Nokia enthusiasts all over the world, we Egyptians find it another reason to grief about out bad luck, Nokia’s irresponsibility and stupid laws.
Why Nokia? Why? Why can’t you release GPS-less versions of cool Nseries devices like HTC does with it’s ultra cool WinMo devices, we already got GPS-less versions of HTC Touch, Diamond and the HTC TyTn 2. And HTC isn’t selling here as much as Nokia.
We know that Egypt isn’t quiet the market that Nokia has it’s eye on, but Nokia rarely ignores the laws enforced by other countries, like Nokia releasing WiFi-Free phones for China, and N78’s without FM-Transmitters for countries that ban it like France, so why can’t it do the same thing here.
Maybe Nokia knows that anyone who wants a GPS-Equipped Nokia in Egypt gets it, the phones somehow get smuggled at Airports and security check-points at a large rate, even the N95 is a huge hit in Egypt, though it’s not released by the official Nokia distributors, but still, it’s missing out a lot of sales here because most of the people that crave for N95s and N82s drop their interest just as they find out that there’s no guarantee and phone repairing.
It’s not a big deal to remove the GPS chip, slightly alter the firmware version and ship the phones to Egypt, but it’s a big deal when it comes to losing big sales in an amazingly populous market like Egypt (Population: 80+ million).
But it’s not entirely Nokia’s fault, it’s mainly because an ignorant government can’t tell whether GPS is good or a threat to National security as it claims, as it breaks the so-called National security systems, what kind of system is this?! Only three countries try to ban GPS, Egypt (for no reason at all), Syria (as the global positioning system is operated by the US government, and the Syrian government hates the Americans) and North Korea (everything is banned there).
But trying to change a law in this country is a dead end, or even dragging this to press, the country already got lots of problems to figure out other than the GPS ban case, which leaves the ball in Nokia’s court, whether or not to release the altered Egyptian version phones.
So once again Nokia, revise your policy when it comes to the Egyptian market, and don’t prevent cautious Egyptian Nokia fans from purchasing the handsets.
I believe Sri Lanka doesn’t allow it either
I read about the 3 countries in an article criticizing this subject
but anyway I feel so embarrassed to add my country to such a list.
[...] Nseries Blog – Once again Nokia ignores Egypt [...]
You are not alone buddy ! ! ! It’s a simple firmware revision, I think the chip doesn’t even need to be removed. But after all, it’s not Nokia’s fault. Did the U.S ban GPS even after 9/11 ? I even once started a Facebook group on this (at http://www.gpsban.tk ). We got a fair amount of members too, but no one seems to be listening or helping us.
@K FLYER The answer of our pledges is here
Quote: His sentiment is echoed by executives at Nokia, the world’s largest mobile handset manufacturer. Nicholas Savander, the company’s vice president and director of services and programs, ruled out the option, explaining that the Finnish firm has already invested an enormous amount of time and money to develop GPS applications for its handsets. “There’s no way to even discuss this issue now,” he says. “We’ve recently launched the second generation of Nokia’s Smart Maps application designed primarily on GPS. This application [offers] maps of cities, restaurants, malls and recreation venues.”
Over 40 percent of all handsets produced by Nokia within the next two years will support GPS-based applications. Savander says it is absurd to consider reversing course at this point. “Who would regress to meet the demands of markets that refuse to keep up with progress when we’re moving at a fast pace towards developing and devising new technologies?”
iam really with u buddy i think they must remove the GPS chip or else if all the cell phones they will make soon or later with GPS chips will never enter egypt which means that egyptians will never enjoy new technology really that sucks or i think that the egyptian government must enter the GPS technology they must make progress or we will stay in our place 4ever
Few days ago the Egyptian government has lifted the ban over using GPS in Egypt (follow this link to read the official statement at http://www.tra.gov.eg/english/News_NewsDetails.asp?PID=36&ID=155 )
So we – Egyptian users – are expecting an update from Nokia to unlock the communication port in our recently purchased devices, in my case a 2 weeks old N79.
HTC already offering updates for GPS devices that sold on Egypt, as I downloaded the new Flash ROM for my HTC Touch HD and the GPS on it is working now.
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