Trending Lyricist I

Question

Updating speakers in Russia

35 replies
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Hi! Starting in August of this year, it is no longer possible for users from Russia to update their speakers. What is the reason for these restrictions? Why were these restrictions applied now?

Airgetlam

This tends not to be a forum that you can ‘talk’ to Sonos in, it is designed to be a community of users helping each other.

Generally speaking, we in the public don’t know Sonos’ political or business stance, and why they don’t offer support for Russia. I don’t know how they identify Russia based users, but I’d be tempted to try a VPN in another region, and see if your speakers update using that.

Bruce

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SevMAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

Hi, Bruce! I’ve tried, but it’s not working yet. I also don’t understand what the reason for this block is. If it’s because of the well‑known conflict, then why did this happen after five years?

Vsevolod

M

Michael.B

Enthusiast II

Vsevolod,
Have you tried installing VPN on your router, or just on your control device where the Sonos app is running (desktop computer or mobile phone)?
The latter won’t help, only a proper VPN on the router might possibly do.

Smilja

Is a VPN of any use when/if Amazon, Microsoft & Co. have closed their server locations there, thereby severing the connection to Sonos' update servers?"

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)

melvimbe

The original policy was made years ago and the link to it is in the other post you replied to.

https://support.sonos.com/en/article/is-sonos-available-in-russia

My take would be that Sonos didn’t change the policy so much as managed to close a loophole, or some other service between you and Sonos did.

Danny

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

Reading the link above I see "services connected to tne Russian state" and "ceased all sales" but nothing about blocking existing individual Sonos owners.

Is Sonos Available in Russia?
Like others around the world, Sonos is appalled and saddened by the attack against Ukraine. Sonos does not have any operations or employees in Russia and ceased all sales to this market at the onset of the war. In addition, Sonos has blocked all services and Sonos Radio Stations connected to the Russian state.

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SevMAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

Hi, Danny!

In 2022, Sonos removed Yandex Music. There were no other restrictions. The policy regarding links — if I’m not mistaken, it was also in 2022. There are a certain number of users in Russia who have been using Sonos products before 2022. I’m one of them. I genuinely don’t understand why, only now, in the fifth year of the conflict, when the presidents of our countries are working together to find ways to end the conflict, Sonos is imposing restrictions on Russian users. Updates aren’t that important to me. I had to reset my Move2 to factory settings. And now I can’t get it back into my system because it can’t receive the update. My Move2 has turned into a brick ((

Vsevolod

Smilja

No Sonos representative is going to address this here in the public forum. Either request a callback through the support chat or send an email to Tom Conrad.

Contact Sonos Support | Sonos

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)

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SevMAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

I contacted the support service. They’re very sorry; Russia is a wonderful country, but… cloud services are no longer available in Russia. They filed an appeal with some department. I have the case number. I’m waiting. Writing a letter to Tom Conrad hadn’t occurred to me. I’ll probably do that. Thanks!

Vsevolod

Airgetlam

Seems unlikely that Sonos would notify about closing a loophole. Certainly unfortunate for you, but not, to me, unreasonable from Sonos.

Have you complained to your government about creating an environment inimical to western businesses? Not sure that would really help, but there is a reason why Sonos went down this road. They didn’t do it randomly…at least I assume they enjoy your monies as much as any others.

Bruce

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SevMAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

Why not warn me? After all, Sonos finds it possible to send me an email with news or a new product? I don’t see the point in complaining to the government. According to Sonos, they have stopped operations in my country. The Russian government didn’t force them to stop.

Vsevolod

melvimbe

Would a warning really change your opinion on this?

Danny

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

Long non-Sonos rant about the whole Russia / Ukraine mess omitted except to note the ever changing political positions on sanctions.

This political duplicity is why companies should avoid any causes and all politics and just sell products. Obey laws and rules but clearly state that is what is being done and cite the source.

melvimbe

I generally agree that Sonos and similar companies should stay out of politics as much as possible, but often times customers will not be ok with a company just sitting on the sidelines. I think the Ukrainie/Russia conflict was one of those times. Since Sonos was rather unlikely to receive a boycott if they stopped doing business in Russia (and not much current business), it was an easy call to make.

I think you also have to consider that Sonos employees also have political views that are going to bleed into how Sonos operates. I’m not saying that Sonos has to exactly satisfy their employees political goals to retain employees, but it does impact moral, and certain decisions that may lean one way or another may appear rather neutral to them. I’m not saying that’s good or bad, it just is what it is.

Danny

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SevMAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

They replied that this restriction had been in effect since the decision to impose restrictions on Russia was made. However, it wasn’t effective; now something has been fixed, and it’s working effectively.

Vsevolod

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SevMAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

I should probably write one letter to Sonos every day, as the main character of the movie "Shawshank Redemption" did, and in about 10 years they will send me an update))))

Vsevolod

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