The NTA issued the warning after it discovered rise in illegal imports and distribution of handsets and other telecommunications equipment, like modem and USB dongle, among others.[break]
A public notice issued by the regulatory body on Friday said those importing and distributing handsets and telecom equipment without obtaining the certification may face seizure of their products and even closure of their businesses. "Other actions, as per the law, would also follow," the notice said.
The certification, which outlays technical and safety requirements for handsets and telecom equipment, is mandatory for imports and distribution of cell phones and telecom equipment. The certification also makes local authorized companies responsible for distribution of faulty products and losses caused by use of such device.
Although the government had made TAC mandatory four years ago, its implementation so far has been poor because of weak monitoring.
"We hope more distributors will obtain TAC after this," NTA Spokesperson Kailash Prasad Neupane told Republica, adding the authority has already started monitoring activities of importers and distributors.
He also requested the public to enquire about TAC so that they are not duped into buying faulty products, use of which could even develop heath problems.
According to the NTA, around 800 models of various cell phone brands have so far acquired TAC, which is less than 50 percent of handsets available in the domestic market. Brands that have obtained TAC include names like Nokia, Samsung, LG, Spice, Colors, Birds, Carbon and G´five. However, popular brands like Apple, HTC and Sony have not applied for the certification so far.
At present, the NTA is providing TAC on the basis of approval certificate issued by regulators of developed countries. However, the authority is preparing to set up a lab in the country to certify electronic communication equipment prior to their imports. “This will relieve importers from the burden of obtaining certification from other countries,” the NTA said.
In the next step, the NTA is preparing to work with operators to make it mandatory for customers to provide IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number to obtain SIM cards. If implemented strictly, customers using unregistered handsets may fail to get access to mobile service.
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