Buyers and sellers of telecoms equipment must ensure their products have been certified by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA), or risk facing stiff penalties.
"Any telecoms equipment that is sold in SA requires a certification tag from ICASA. This is done both to protect the customer and the integrity of the network," says Praneel Ruplal, manager of type approval and licensing at ICASA.
"While it is the seller`s duty to ensure the equipment complies with ICASA`s standards, the buyer also needs to be aware that they should check for the certification, as they will have no recourse if they purchase illegal equipment."
He says that while these regulations have been in force since the inception of the Telecoms Act in 1996, it is important to remind the public about the legislation, as ICASA`s inspectors regularly confiscate illegal equipment.
"There are three issues that we focus on when certifying telecoms equipment. It is rated in terms of performance to set standards, safety levels and its electromagnetic compatibility," says Ruplal.
He says ICASA`s inspectorate division does spot checks on equipment, and has the right to search warehouses for non-approved equipment and confiscate this.
"The penalties for having uncertified equipment are very stiff, with the maximum being a R500 000 fine and/or two years imprisonment," he says.
Certification of all equipment must now be clearly displayed on the units. The end-user will know that an item has been certified if it carries an "ICASA-approved" sticker with the approval number.
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