The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) launched a campaign to educate consumers on the health risks associated with using counterfeit phones. The campaign also aims at protecting consumers from the potential risks faced in using fake devices due to their poor quality and low efficiency and which also undermine the communications networks in the Sultanate.
Globally, there has been a significant increase in the use of counterfeit phones and this poses a challenge to telecom operators around the world. Counterfeit phones pose a risk as they have not been tested and as such do not meet the international safety standards applied by the legitimate phone manufacturer.
In order for consumers to discern an original phone from a counterfeit phone they are advised to purchase their phones from authorized dealers as these dealers go through TRA type approval procedures on their import of telephone devices into the Sultanate. Such equipment and devices are also marked with the TRA name stamp, and the consumer should look for this stamp before proceeding with their purchase.
In this context, Mohammed Al Kindi, Executive Manager for Regulation and Compliance at the TRA, shared that “this campaign comes at a time when the counterfeit phone phenomenon is witnessing a significant increase along with a rise in consumers’ complaints on lower quality and a shorter lifespan of their phones. To combat this the TRA has contacted the GSM Association to develop technical solutions to reduce counterfeit phones in the local market.”