FCC code Colombia

To use my FP2 in Colombia I need an FCC code (in addition to the IMEI number). It does not seem that the FP2 comes with it. Where can I ask for the FCC code?

According to a corresponding topic about the Fairphone 1, the Fairphone 2 might not be FCC certified …

Perhaps contactsupport to be sure?

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@lauraalazar. Did you find a way to register the phone in Colombia?
How this FCC-ID works? Is fairphone looking to have it for FP2? Is it something I have to forget about, cause then I can’t use my FP2 in Colombia. It’d be such a waste!

Searching through the FCC database I still find only the FP1 (2AA2QFP1V1).

FCC certifications are costly and Fairphone does not sell products in the Americas so far, so at the moment there is little point in getting an FCC certification for it.

Fairphone themselves mention that it is not possible to register the phone in Colombia:

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001535686-Will-the-Fairphone-2-work-outside-of-Europe-

Please note
It is not possible to register the Fairphone 2 in Colombia (homologar procedure). The phone is not registered in the USA and thus doesn’t have the required FCC registration code.

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@fabioaco. Fairphone said FP2 (different to FP1) didnt come with a FCC-ID and that is necessary for it to function properly in Colombia. I couldn’s solve the issue and now I can only use it with internet. Indeed very disappointing! Especially that FP did not warn about this and is not able to support outside Europe. Sorry about that!

It literally says that on the support page @Johannes linked.

To be fair, I think (though I’m not sure) they added the specific comment about colombia after @lauraalazar asked them about it. The territoriality specification (i.e. European market only) and the caveat that the phone probably works most places outside of Europe, but isn’t guaranteed to, have always been there.

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Hi there; I have taken my FP2 to Colombia on two occasions, using a Claro SIM card. Can make calls, SMS. etc…, although the mobile data was only edge/2G. If you look at this website you’ll see how the FP2 could be fully operational on a number of mobile carriers:

(I admit that maybe this is not what you were asking…)

Roaming to Colombia works, for now. Based on reports on travel/expat forums local SIM cards will typically also work for up to two months, during which warnings will be issued that the phone needs to be registered. If you don’t register the phone, the IMEI is blacklisted in Colombia, meaning you won’t be able to use it as a phone in Colombia using any SIM card (including foreign ones). Whether this also happens if you only use a SIM from a non-Colombian provider is unclear, but I imagine it will (the grace period being long enough to cover most tourist/business visits).
The problem with registering it, is it requires the FCC code specific to the device. The FP2 is not registered with the FCC, meaning the code does not exist, which makes it is impossible to register it.

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It’s quite sad to know that FP2 can’t be used everywhere. In the end, these kinds of things are never said while buying. Instead, one needs to go through several pages to get that FP2 is only ‘usable’ in Europe. Or perhaps, this information is updated after an user report the issue.
I did choose FP2 as I believe this type of things are very aligned in what I wanted, something made ethically and fairly. Thnks for this initiative, hope it’ll grow and once reach the other side of the ocean.
Sadly, I’d try to sell my FP2 as it is something I can’t use ‘freely’ while in any country of America.
Thnks to @lauraalazar and @Johannes.

Hi! did you find a solution that didn’t include selling your phone? (Please say yes! :disappointed_relieved: )

sorry… I didn’t. it seems there is not solution than use it in Europe or in Colombia until it gets locked.

Well, that’s not exactly correct, as it can be used in Colombia while being on travel or for the period of a limited stay.
Otherwise it is sold in the EU only and therefore not meant to be imported in other parts of the world. If someone choses to do so, it’s up that person to check the necessary requirements. Fairphone can’t do this and really is not to blame in this case; especially so, since they can not be expected to check the regulations in all countries of the world (and keep them up to date) if their phone will be working or not and what kind of limitations there are.

I don’t know, how many other countries do act like Colombia by blacklisting IMEI of phones not being registered? This might be common, but I have never heard of it before and judging by other postings on the forum, e.g. the USA and Australia don’t have that kind of limitation.

I really wish, there would be a solution.
And I have come up with an idea, that just might be feasible :slight_smile: (or complete bollocks :frowning: ).
Maybe someone can find out, how long it takes before an IMEI is cleared again?
I would guess, if you visit as a tourist or on business quite regularly, your phone sooner or later will have spent more then two months in Colombia, but disabeling it on that behalf would be really bad for business.
So, if you use the FP for 7 weeks and switch it off after that time, how long will it take, that you can switch it on again and have two months for that IMEI again?

In that case - some technician please check this - it might be a solution, to use the FP2 with just one SIM and switch the SIM-slots every 7 weeks?
As every slot has it’s own IMEI, the phone should appear to be another one, when using the other slot, or does it always register with both IMEI?

If the IMEI needs to be inactive for more than seven weeks, you would of course need a second phone.

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Hello everyone,
I’m really disappointed after reading there’s no hope of homologising the FP2 in Colombia.

I’ve just come back to Colombia 3 days ago and I also received this message from CRC (Communications Regulation Commission) telling me that my FP2 will be blocked in the next 45 days. I started following the steps the CRC provides to homologise my phone and I found the same problem, I did not find the FCC ID.

I live in Colombia for one year in 2016 and I’ve never been asked about this issue nor been notified that my FP2 was going to be blocked. Last year I came twice and also this year I stayed for 2 moths in April and nothing happened.

Now that I’m going to stay longer I have this anoying problem. So, the only solution is not use my FP2??

The document the CCR is asking for homologation is the Certification granted by the FCC. It is supposed to issue it at https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm

PLEASE help us by getting it.

As was mentioned before …

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