ZICTA Lays The Rules

03/07/2014 TechTrends

ZICTA is an authority for information and communications technology in Zambia, part of their obligation and purpose is to regulate and protect the citizens of a country from faulty and below par electronics communication equipment, in Zambia we have seen multiple and numerous products get shoved into the market without efficient quality checks being issued on the imported products. ZICTA has finally started putting the hammer down so to speak but some see this move as a moment too late, after years upon years of sub-standard gadgets and devices being flooded into the country.

The Authority (ZICTA) this week set out to seize banned gadgets from dealers who were selling them to the public illegally, the “inspection” was carried out with three main objectives in mind, and these include:

To enforce compliance with dealers registration
To seize electronic communication equipment models that is not type approved
To seize electronics communication equipment models causing interference on ZAMTEL 3G (Third Generation) frequency.

The inspection which was apparently countywide revealed that small and large retailers of electronic communications equipment have been importing and distributing devices that have not been approved by ZICTA, but the question is why isn’t there be a system that checks all imported goods before they enter the country? And is the authority (ZICTA) in charge of ensuring that citizens are protected from such devices not doing their job efficiently?

During the inspection some items were confiscated for three different reasons, some were taken for testing, some were taken because they interrupted with the ZAMTEL 3G frequency and the rest were taken because they did not have a ZICTA stamp of approval.

Here is a list of the items that were confiscated:

FOR TESTING: 1 x Versatis F200 CG2C Alcatel cordless phone model, 1 x CL2011 Logic cordless phone model, 1 x KX – TG2711 Panasonic cordless phone model, 1 x KX – TG2713 Panasonic cordless phone model, 9 x MBP16 Motorola digital wireless audio baby monitor, 6 x MBP11 Motorola digital wireless audio baby monitor, 6 x MBP20 Motorola digital wireless video baby monitor, 1 x AL140 Gigaset Siemens DECT phone, 1 x 4300 TRIO Bell cordless phone, 1 x Bell 4000 Bell cordless phone.

NOT APPROVED: 11 x Nokia 303, 1 x Samsung S4 GTI 1905, 3 x Nokia Asha 300, 1 x Samsung GTI 8190, 1 x Nokia C201, 9 x Samsung SM-G900H, 10 x Nokia X, 6 x Samsung GTS 6010, 4 x Nokia Asha 205, 3 x Samsung GTS 6012, 1 x Nokia 603, 1 x Samsung GTS 5830, 2 x Nokia E7, 4 x Samsung GTS 7562, 3 x Nokia Lumia 920, 2 x Blackberry Z10 RFH121LW, 4 x Alcatel 306, 58 x Alcatel 232.

ZAMTEL 3G INTERFERENCE: Baby monitors.

ZICTA says this move has prompted a large number of companies to apply for approval from the Authority and that they will continue carrying out these kinds of inspections to ensure the safety of consumers in Zambia.

We hope to see ZICTA do more of these spot checks in Zambia so that only quality electronics communications equipment is allowed into the country and put onto shelves.