Telecommunications equipment regulations enforced

All persons who use or sell telecommunications equipment to any electronic communications network within Namibia will have to obtain Type Approval from the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN).

This comes after the regulating authority this week announced that the Type Approval Regulations have become effective on 26 June.
“There is a transitional period within which persons must obtain Type Approval from the Authority in respect of telecommunications equipment. Please note that the transition period commenced on 26 June and shall lapse on 30 November 2015,” said CRAN acting chief executive officer, Jochen Traut.
Traut said that the regulations are applicable to all persons who use, sell, offer for sale or connect telecommunications equipment to an electronic communications 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.
“The telecommunications equipment that is temporarily imported into Namibia for re-export does not require type approval,” Traut added.
For purposes of the Type Approval Regulations, with respect to the Type Approval Regulations ‘Telecommunications equipment’ means, communications or networking equipment with an interface to public network or wide area network services and includes, but not 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, ” said Traut.
CRAN 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, Act 8 of 2009,” Traut added.
“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,” said Traut.