The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has conducted its second round of inspections of shops selling telecommunications devices & equipment, this year from October 1 to 26. To ensure consumers get certified telecoms devices from licensed shops; as they may lose their rights if they buy telecoms devices and equipment from unlicensed shops. The inspection included a total of 330 shops and resulted in 98 written violation notices issued to shops for operating without having the required licenses.
CRA issued notices for a range of violations, the most common being to shops selling mobile phones without a license. The notice requires non-compliant shops to regularize their license within a specified period of time to avoid CRA taking the appropriate legal action. CRA noticed considerable improvement in the awareness of shops owners’ about the importance of obtaining the necessary prior approvals to sell telecommunications equipment. In this round of inspections CRA issued notices to 30% of the inspected shops compared to 74% of the shops inspected in April 2017.
Commercially registered companies in the State of Qatar who want to import radio and telecommunications devices and equipment are required to obtain the necessary prior licenses and approvals from CRA including an import authorization license, type approval certificate and customs clearance certificate.
Approvals are mandatory to ensure the equipment meets certain safety and technical standards. Radio and telecommunications equipment includes, but is not limited to, mobile phones, wireless local area networks (WLAN), and short range devices (SRD).
Inspections are conducted on a regular basis by CRA’s technical inspectors to ensure that shops are not selling or using radio and telecommunications devices & equipment illegally and to take appropriate action if they are found to in violation of the regulations. The recent inspection targeted popular locations that sell devices including malls, souks, commercial areas, as well as neighborhood grocery stores.
Anyone residing in the State of Qatar can request an inspection by CRA if they suspect a business is selling or using unauthorized radio and telecommunications devices and equipment at any location in the country. To request an inspection, or to apply for an import authorization, type approval and customs clearance certificate, contact CRA by e-mail or by calling CRA’s hotline number “103”.