Telecommunications Type Approval Regulation in effect

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) announced this week that the Type Approval Regulations have became effective and in force on 26 June 2015.

Speaking on the matter, Jochen Traut said, “the public is informed that there is a transitional period within which persons must obtain approval from the Authority in respect of telecommunications equipment. Please note that the transition period commenced on 26 June 2015 and shall lapse on 30 November 2015”.
Traut said that the Regulations are applicable to, all persons who use, sell, offer for sale or connect telecommunications equipment to an electronic commu nications network within Namibia and all radio communications equipment or apparatus‘ pursuant to the Regulations regarding Licence Exempt Spectrum published in Government Gazette No. 4839, General Notice No. 395, dated 25 November 2011.
Briefly explaining requirements pertaining to importation of telecommunications equipment, Traut said, “the telecommunications equipment that is temporarily imported into Namibia for re-export will not require type approval. For purposes of the Type Approval Regulations, Traut said that Telecommunications equipment will now be defined as communications or networking equipment with an interface to public network or wide area network services and will include but not be limited to the telecommunications terminal equipment, information technology equipment (including but not limited to a digital set-top box decoder), radio communication equipment powered by means of an internal or external electrical AC/DC energy source and electronic communications network equipment.
“It is the responsibility of vendors or equipment suppliers to acquire the necessary type approval, while consumers and resellers must ensure that the telecommunications equipment they purchase is type approved in Namibia,” Traut said. Added Traut, “the application for Type Approval must be made on the relevant form set out in the Regulations in Respect of Type Approval and Technical Standards for Telecommunications Equipment”. Traut further stated that the Authority will prosecute non-compliance with the regulations as regulatory offences and enforce the provisions of these regulations in terms of sections 114 and 127 of the Communications Act. The Type Approval form, Technical Standards and the full set of regulations can be obtained from the Authority’s website at www.cran.na.