Hi everybody!
I live in the US and I’m just making this post to express my appreciation for Fairphone’s mission and business practices. I really hope that you’ll be able to expand and offer official support for regions outside of Europe in the next few years!
Either way, my next phone will definitely be a Fairphone once my current one eventually kicks the bucket for good.
Thanks!
Hi Chris.
As this is a user forum, you may like to address your hopes to the Fairphone Company as distributors.
They have a page for distributors so it’s just a matter of finding someone to do so for the USA and the like.
Further a moderator may like to move your post to
If that would be the only thing needed they could have been anywhere else for a long time already.
Production and support capacities, regulatory compliance, different legal environment, not the least adjusting the product (frequency bands for instance) … and there’s probably even more stuff to sort out.
“Outside of Europe” is not only North America 
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Hi @AnotherElk
I’m aware of the issues your main paragraph highlights and was a little surprised Fairphone had a page inviting people to distribute on such a global scale…
Regarding the USA being outside of Europe. The point I am trying to make is that Fairphone only distributes directly to individuals in Europe and the UK. The UK being treated as not part of the continent of Europe, probably before Brexit. I.e. nation states off the larger land mass of Europe are to be treated seen as an aberration to the more tightly knit community accessed by land transport. Strangle that does not nor ever did refer to Eire, so maybe it was due to Currency, but no that’s not it either ??? I loosing my self here 
Anyway I cross to the USA as not part of Europe though not exclusively so. As the enquirer is from other parts and Fairphone indicate a desire to have their phones distributed there, I thought if those of the North American continent could see they have common ground in having a local distributor maybe someone would see a business opportunity to deal with Fairphone en mass for those far away places.
It’s raining here and I’m my land is not in a fir state to walk on so I’m biding my time in almost idle chat, so please do not feel the need to respond to any of my gibbering, but that for being where you are which on the greater scale is here.
All the best and I hope the sun is shinning on you.
Actually it is specified because of Brexit, I guess, because it was not mentioned before. And rest assured it’s still accessible by land transport: thankfully, they didn’t destroy the Channel tunnel with Brexit 
However they might be new controls and import taxes for EU products imported in the UK now…
It was like that in Oct 20 but maybe there was a change in 2020 as preemptive.
There’s also the issue of network support. Fairphone 3/3+ works on 3G in the US, but not 4G. Well, it doesn’t work on 4G reliably in the US. Though, I’m not sure if it’s a hardware limitation or if the cellular modem just needs different firmware.
Aside from the aforementioned network issues: keep in mind that one has to be a bit adventurous to own a Fairphone in the United States (or anywhere outside Europe) - you’ll have to get it drop shipped to you (through a commercial drop shipping company or an obliging forum dweller), you’ll essentially have no warranty, and if you do need to order a new module, you’ll need to have that drop shipped as well.
Not to discourage you of course, but there have been a few FP owners in Australia and the Americas who became frustrated with their phones. It’s something to keep in mind.
If you do decide to get a Fairphone at some point and you’re the trusting sort, you can send me a message if you like - I’ve drop shipped a couple of parts for people here in the past.
Brother, I am trying to get fairphone here in the states but it seems they don’t want to get started here. I contacted the sales team. This being said I will go ahead and begin to copy thier buisness model and launch my own phone company. It’s a good time now and definitely feasible.
Well, there’s quite a few sellers that are shipping overseas; like vireo.de in Germany, that is even shipping batteries as spare parts.
Before you decide to start your own phone company - especially one following the ethics and principles comparable to Fairphone -, do some reading on the blog of the Fairphone page (or on the blob of ShiftPhone). And take your time to go back in time to around 2013/2014. You will find, that there are some hurdles to take and you might find some mistakes to avoid.
Besides lots of money, it takes lots of stamina and a good team as well.
One has to be the adventures kind of guy to take on such a task. I know, I wouldn’t.
But, of course, I hope you will succeed, as there never can be too much development on that market. Maybe you even could cooperate with Fairphone in some regard.
Just my opinion:
Fairphone not moving to America seems a wise decision. Right now, they have launched their first phone for the mass market in Europe and have run into some troubles with the update to Android 10. That stuff obviously is keeping them really busy, as support is lacking in response time (at least).
Aiming now for another market, that requires not just a distribution network, but a support network as well, would be hazardous from my point of view. Besides that, they would have to design a new hardware (covering the bands) and the software would have to be adjusted as well. Add the regulatory and legal measures, they had to follow, and I would change my assessment from hazardous to suicidal for a company as small as Fairphone.
Once they have got a foothold on the European market and their business is in safe and calm wathers, they can expand to other markets.
That’s at least how I see it, as much as I would love to have those phones sold worldwide to make a change as fast as possible.
You don’t need a fairphone, get a used phone and put a sticker on it that says “I bought a used phone to support fairphone”. But wait we’re not supporting the fairphone, we’re supporting the planet by curbing the e-waste made by those whom we… also support… the ubiquitous pushers of new technology(as well as ourselves) hmm… a double bind.
Going off topic here:
We cant support the planet whilst we consume it, we can only support ourselves as the primary consumers. Fairphone, second hand phone, no phone they are all options for each of us as an individual to ease our self indulgence.
Just spend your money on something that makes the world more akin to your dreams ~ phones, linen, organic food, Fair trade anything etc. It only concerns my heart that you try and I could argue all day that whatever you do will not make the world a better place but make you happier to know you are more self aware of your impact.
According to Fairphone, they are looking into the opportunities to enter the US market, but this won’t happen in the near future.
[Source: internal source]