Why do local SIM cards get blocked for tourists in Sharm El Sheikh and how to avoid it?

The block may apply to the phone’s IMEI rather than to a particular SIM card; in that case, the device may not recognize any SIM in Egypt. Separate restrictions on SIMs registered to foreigners are also mentioned, and service can be unpredictable.

On a dual-SIM phone, try the other SIM slot: there is a report of one slot being blocked while the second still worked. On a single-SIM device, eSIM reportedly worked for some travelers after a physical-SIM block, although this is an older isolated experience.

According to one report, leaving roaming off and using hotel Wi‑Fi only allowed the phone to keep working normally after arrival. This means avoiding mobile-network use during the trip, rather than being a guaranteed fix for a local SIM.

You can contact NTRA (Egypt's telecom regulator) directly and send a photo of your passport — they can remove the block remotely, even after you've left Egypt. One traveler got two previously blocked SIM slots unblocked this way while already back in Russia. There are also reports that the tourist phone-blocking rule may be cancelled soon.

It's recommended to bring a backup phone with a SIM card from home — if the main local number gets blocked, you can share internet from the backup device. Many travelers carry portable modems/hotspots and generate their own internet instead of relying on a local SIM.

Blocking isn't a rare exception — some travelers reported having multiple phones/SIM cards blocked at the same time.

A local mobile phone shop can sometimes unblock the SIM, but often only for a 90-day period — after that, the block returns.

Some travelers with a blocked phone managed to resolve the issue by going directly to the mobile operator's shop.