Will Etisalat SIM cards get blocked in foreign phones in Sharm el-Sheikh?
Based on 2 discussions with 3 participants · Last activity: 20 days ago
TL;DR
Android phones work fine with Etisalat SIM cards in Egypt. IMEI-related blocking reportedly affects only iPhones — no need to buy a separate hotspot device for Android users.
What the community said
Dual-SIM phones with two radio modules each have their own IMEI per slot — effectively two phones in one body. Single-radio dual-SIM devices share one IMEI across both slots, so a block affects the entire device.
20 days ago Dual-SIM: single vs dual radio module
Staff at the Etisalat counter at Sharm el-Sheikh airport confirmed that IMEI-based blocking applies only to iPhones. Android devices work without issues. Three Etisalat SIMs were inserted into three Android phones and worked fine on both a previous and a recent visit.
20 days ago Etisalat counter, Sharm el-Sheikh Airport
Russia passed a law requiring phones to be registered by IMEI and linked to a SIM card. Unregistered devices risk losing calls, SMS, and data. Travelers were concerned this might affect Egyptian SIM cards used in unregistered handsets.
20 days ago Russian IMEI registration law (2026)