What is “Rostest” and is it possible to buy a gray phone

Updated: 04/23/2021 14:49:16

Expert: Nikolay Valerievich

Any equipment imported into Russia, be it smartphones, tablets or laptops, must undergo mandatory certification. This procedure ensures the safety of the device and its functionality. Certification is “at the discretion” of the manufacturer, which is why some companies do not carry it out and do not import their goods into the country. For example, it is for these reasons that you will not be able to officially buy a Google Pixel or Microsoft Surface Laptop in Russia.

Certified devices are marked as “Rostest” or “EAC”. And this means that they are allowed to be imported into the country, do not have a harmful effect on the user and - perhaps - fully meet the declared functions.

But on the shelves of online stores you can also find other devices certified as Eurotest. Usually they are cheaper than Rostest ones. Therefore, buyers may have a question: what is the difference between Rostest and Eurotest phones? Let's look into this material.

What are “gray” smartphones

Large smartphone manufacturers rarely limit themselves to one market for selling their products. Devices from brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, ZTE, Meizu, Lenovo can be found in many countries in Europe, Asia and the countries of the Customs Union. “ gray ” smartphone means that the product was imported into your country illegally, that customs duties were not paid for it, and the manufacturer does not provide its official guarantee.

Initially, this smartphone could have been intended for sale in Europe or Asia, but thanks to the cunning of entrepreneurs and holes in the legislation, it can be purchased in our country, and much cheaper than from an official dealer.

We also note that Rostest certification does not at all mean that the device has been tested and studied by a group of scientists using various equipment and found to be absolutely safe . As a rule, this is a simple formality, and the certification center checks the product for the presence of Russian-language software, instructions, and for compliance with the declared and actual characteristics.

Example prices at the time of writing:

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 32GB (black) – RUR 14,999 on the liaison website.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 32GB (Black) – 9790 rubles in one of the Yandex.Market stores.

The overpayment is simply huge - 50%, but in fact, the devices are absolutely identical.

What is Rostest certification

Rostest is an indicator that the phone has passed all the necessary checks and tests in Russian testing laboratories.

Rostest certification confirms that:

1. The firmware has a Russian language that is understandable to the user;
2. The power of the electromagnetic field generated by the phone does not exceed established safe standards;
3. The phone is capable of operating in Russian cellular networks and uses the same frequency ranges in which “our” operators broadcast.

In addition, there is another important advantage. Rostest phones are officially imported into Russia, so in the event of a manufacturing defect, the buyer has the right to contact a service center authorized by the manufacturer for replacement or warranty repair.

It is worth noting that in 2017-2018 the labeling procedure changed. Now, instead of “Rostest”, the “EAC” icon is applied to the boxes. EAC is the Eurasian Customs Union of Compliance and Certification, which includes Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Phones marked “EAC” are no different from those that come with o.

Advantages

• It is guaranteed that the phone will work in local cellular networks;
• It is guaranteed that electromagnetic radiation, volume and screen brightness will be within health-safe standards;
• You can safely apply for warranty repair or replacement.

Flaws

• Price.

The high price of Rostest phones is explained by the fact that the manufacturer is forced to pay taxes upon official import. Their volume can be up to 20% of the cost of the product, depending on the category. Of course, then they will be included in the price of the phone, so it will be much more expensive than those imported in the “gray” way.

A few words about the PCT

Many people still ask the seller about the treasured three letters “ PCT ” . The fact is that PCT, recently, is not a mandatory certification, but a voluntary one. It no longer affects anything and does not oblige you to anything. With the advent of the Eurasian Economic Union, mandatory certification since August 2013 is called EAC ( Eurasian Compliance

). Therefore, if the seller answers in the affirmative to the question whether the device is PCT, this means that the device is still EAC, and the seller is too lazy to explain all these subtleties to you, but yes, it has passed certification. Therefore, it is best to ask if the device has an official warranty from the manufacturer, this way you will save time.

What is the difference between an original device and a fake?

Original smartphones and tablets are made from the highest quality components. Samsung installs the best components at the time of their release on its flagship devices: displays, processors, cameras, memory modules and other parts. Most of them are the company's own developments. Thanks to this, Samsung devices receive many awards and high customer ratings every year.

Counterfeits are made from outdated and cheap parts. As a result, replicas of flagship devices perform worse than original budget Samsung devices.

Software quality and safety

Samsung carefully tests the software for its devices, first with its own testing department, and then with the help of Google, the creator of Android. Thanks to this, smartphones and tablets work quickly, and you can safely use mobile banking, add cards to payment services, and store personal photos. Samsung continues to take care of software updates on its devices even after they are released: it releases new firmware and security updates.

Fraudsters do not worry about the quality of the software - as long as the device turns on. No one is stopping them from installing spyware or phishing software on the fake, which will steal photos, contacts, bank card details, passwords and other data. Counterfeits do not pass any certification. No one updates them or monitors the security of the software.

Branded services and functionality

Original devices have branded services, many of which have no analogues. For example, Samsung Pay, which allows you to link a bank card to your smartphone and pay for purchases through almost any terminal.

Not a single branded service will work on fakes.

All original Samsung devices have a guarantee: manufacturing defects will be corrected free of charge.

There is no guarantee for a fake: it will not be replaced or repaired, even if it breaks the next day after purchase.

What are the differences?

First of all, you need to find out for which market the device was originally intended. If the device is for Asia, then you will need an adapter plug for Russian sockets and the packaging will have hieroglyphs. If for Europe, then the adapter most likely will not be needed, and the packaging will have inscriptions in English. The name of the smartphone will contain the symbols EU, which means European Union.

You should also study the model you choose. The fact is that in China you can find a Lenovo P2 model with 64GB of internal memory, and on the Russian market this model appeared with a maximum of 32GB of memory on board. Some Xiaomi models are released in Europe with support for LTE frequencies Band 20. In China there is no support for this frequency, and therefore LTE in Russia will work worse. By the way, there is no “e Eurotest ” , by this the sellers want to say that the device is not certified for Russia, and they hope that the buyer will have a kind of trigger for the “Euro” prefix. Examples of this are words such as European-quality repair, European-quality, European-standard.

Comparison of Rostest and Eurotest

So, Rostest and Eurotest are simply certification methods that show that the device is of high quality. Let's compare these two options and determine which is better.

Thus, Eurotest phones can be purchased for use in Russia. But it’s better to refrain from purchasing American ones - only, of course, if they are not unlocked for global use.

Important! When buying a Eurotest smartphone, make sure that it is not blocked for use with any specific operator. Otherwise, it simply will not pick up Russian cellular networks.

How to check certification

If the seller claims that the device is “ Rostest ” , but something confuses you, then this information can be easily verified. To do this, you need to call the manufacturer’s hotline and give the IMEI of the device.

IMEI is a unique gadget identifier. This is something like a license plate on a car - a very rough analogy, but in principle it fits. It can be found on the packaging or on the smartphone itself if you type the command *#06#.

Some manufacturers also provide an online database for checking, but it is better not to trust such databases, because the information there is not updated often. Also, the device, of course, must come with a charger without any adapters, with information in Russian on the box and with fully Russified firmware. It is best when the device is sealed and unpacking happens in front of you.

iPhone markings

Apple, like Chinese brands, produces its products in several versions: for the American, European and Asian markets. The differences are in modification and warranty. The company periodically changes the warranty service rules regarding the acceptance of equipment into its service centers. For example, if a couple of years ago the official one-year warranty in the Russian Federation applied to all iPhones, regardless of what market they were released for, now the buyer can independently return only the PCT iPhone to the ASC. By the way, for iPhones marked EAC, Russian legislation provides an additional second year of warranty (thanks to Article 19, paragraph 5 of the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights”).

The iPhone, which is not certified for Russia, but is marked with the “CE” mark, is fully adapted for use in our country, and there are usually no problems with the operation of these devices (the percentage of defects in these versions is the same as in PCT models). The warranty for such devices is provided by the seller (he also sets the warranty period, which must be stated in the documents accompanying the product, for example, in the sales receipt - for phones this is usually one year).

Models for other markets may differ in functionality. Thus, “American” iPhone 11, 11 Pro and older models on iOS 13-13.2 may have Sim-Lock - tied to a specific telecom operator. As a rule, a buyer may encounter such a problem if he purchased the device in the USA or on eBay. To use such a “locked” iPhone in Russia, you need to unlock it.

The iPhone for the UAE does not have video calling capabilities via FaceTime (but it is quite possible to bypass this blocking). In Japanese devices, the camera shutter sound cannot be turned off, and there is also no ability to make payments via Apple Pay. Popular 2-SIM models are supplied only to Asian markets, so they cannot be found from official distributors in Russia, although they can be purchased in some stores.

Also, depending on the region, the type of plug and the power of the charging unit differ, but with the release of the iPhone 12, which is equipped only with a cable, this problem will gradually and steadily sink into oblivion. Thus, iPhone 11, XR and XS 2022 and newer are already available in “lightweight packaging” slim box (without charging block and headphones).

How to spot a fake

It is very difficult to distinguish a fake smartphone from an original one if you have not seen the original. Externally, the smartphones will look very similar. Here are two pieces of advice:

1) If you have already chosen a specific model, then it is advisable to look at the reviews and remember how and what it should look like externally. Better yet, save the pictures and compare them when purchasing.

2) stock up on the free CPU-Z program. It will demonstrate what hardware is installed on the smartphone. The program also has a useful Online Validation in the About . By clicking there you will need to enter your name and email optionally. After this, the program will compare the hardware of your device with that declared by the manufacturer. My Xiaomi Mi Max has passed the test, as evidenced by the green seal. Although the device was not tested on the official website at the time of purchase.

Chinese version of smartphones

Separately, it is worth mentioning the Chinese modification marked China or CN. This equipment is intended for the Chinese market only. The factory firmware of such devices has only two languages: Chinese and English, all documentation is in Chinese. Also, this version does not have pre-installed programs from Google. Chinese devices do not support all communication standards adopted in Europe (and Russia), so the connection in such a smartphone may be either poor or absent altogether. The charger is manufactured according to Chinese standards, so an adapter is needed. Well, only the store that sold it can provide a warranty for such a device.

Firmware

Rostest devices EAS ) always come with Russian language. But if you are buying “ gray ” gadget, then it is advisable to check with the seller what firmware it contains. Most uncertified devices are sold with so-called global (international) firmware, but they may also have Chinese Russified firmware, especially if the model is new.

There are no questions about international firmware. They, as a rule, are updated, the Russian language does not disappear in them, and 4G works with all networks. Chinese firmware may not be updated, or updated depriving the user of the Russian language. They may also have various glitches and bugs and it is not a fact that LTE works. A very unpleasant aspect of such firmware is that when resetting the settings, Chinese may appear.

When buying a gray smartphone, be sure to pay attention to the firmware. And if the model is new, then it is better to wait for the release of the international firmware and buy it right away.

Important point. The phone must be without root, otherwise online banking will not work, which is not very convenient.

How to reflash a phone for ROSTEST

Devices with o have pre-installed firmware with the region code “SER”. It allows you to activate the contactless payment service – Samsung Pay – without additional manipulations. This is the only problem that can arise with firmware on an uncertified smartphone. Of course, this situation can be changed by reloading the firmware using Odin software.

However, the gadget will not become “white”. In fact, it is impossible to reflash Samsung for ROSTEST. For correct full operation, you will need to change the imei number, which is used to identify the device on the mobile network. Changing or falsifying such numbers is illegal. No service operating within the legal framework will carry out such an operation. All that remains is to use a phone that was purchased at a price that is three times lower than the legal model.

Is it worth buying a non-Rostest smartphone?

It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. If you are an experienced user and have studied this issue, then of course yes. For those who do not know what recovery, global and band are , we can also recommend such a device, the main thing is that it has good international firmware.

And it is very important to buy from a good and trusted store, because only the store provides a guarantee for such smartphones. Buying “ gray ” smartphone from an unverified seller is a risk, and if something happens, it will be difficult or even impossible for you to repair the smartphone under warranty.

Russian version (Rostest, RST)

Those Asian or American smartphones that have passed special certification to work correctly in Russia receive the Rostest label. Essentially, this is global firmware + a charger with a “plug” corresponding to our realities.

Mobile phones of this version are sold exclusively in the Russian Federation. If you see such markings in a Chinese online store, you can be sure that they are trying to deceive you.

Rostest (PCT) means the official status of a device that is recommended for sale in the Russian Federation. Smartphones with this marking meet the requirements set by Russian legislation; they are distinguished by unique identification codes (IMEI). In addition, Rostest devices can be repaired under warranty at local certified service centers.

Due to numerous certification procedures, the cost of PCT smartphones is often 15-20% higher than that of devices with a global firmware version.

Where do they sell fakes?

Mostly, fakes are sold secondhand and on free classifieds websites.

Near a metro station, a train station, or a large store, a person approaches you and offers to buy a smartphone or tablet at a clearly reduced price, explaining the discount as an urgent need for money. Usually there is even a receipt and a warranty card. The seller is in a hurry, constantly talks to you, does not allow you to concentrate and examine the device properly. He can tell you that all his money and documents were stolen, his children are waiting for him, and he is late for his plane. In general, he makes every effort to make you feel needy or awkward and give you money faster.

Selling on free classifieds sites

You find an advertisement on the website with a very low price. The price is often explained by the fact that the device was given as a gift, but you already have a smartphone or tablet. Over the phone they can say that there is already a buyer or they come up with another legend that will encourage a purchase. Questions are answered in general phrases or evasively. They are found near the metro, shopping or business centers, and almost never give the addresses of residential buildings. When meeting, they are in a hurry. After the sale, the number is disconnected or blacklisted.

The photo below shows a typical scam ad.

1. The average price of such a smartphone at the time of viewing this ad is 45,000 rubles. Thanks to such a low price, the listing took almost a few hours.

2. You can already see from the photo that this is a fake - there are no such inscriptions on the original smartphone.

3. Seemingly logical motive. You immediately get the feeling that you have won the lottery and you need to take it as soon as possible.

Another ad, almost a carbon copy. And there are hundreds of them.

Sales in stores

Of course, counterfeits are sold in both regular and online stores.

The photo below is one of these online stores.

At the time of writing this article, the Galaxy Note 9 had not even been announced, and scammers were already selling it.