Qatar’s Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has conducted a routine inspection of shops selling radio and telecommunication equipment and a total of 31 violation notices were issued for using or selling equipment without valid licences. CRA’s inspection team visited 60 sites over a two-week period, targeting malls, souks, commercial areas, as well as neighbourhood grocery stores.
CRA issued 31 notices for a range of violations, the most common being shops selling mobile phones without a valid licence. The notice entails the non-compliant shops to regularise their licence or to obtain the right licence if they do not have one. If the appropriate licences have not been obtained, CRA is empowered to take legal action against the defaulters. CRA manages Qatar’s radio spectrum, and conducts routine inspections to ensure compliance with the Telecommunications Law.
Under the Law, the import and sale of radio and telecommunication equipment requires an authorization from CRA. Approvals are necessary to ensure the equipment meets certain safety and technical standards. Radio and telecommunication equipment includes, but is not limited to, mobile phones, wireless local area networks (WLAN), and short range devices (SRD). Earlier in April, CRA issued 48 violation notices. More than 50 percent of those violations have been rectified by the business owners. Legal action will be taken against the businesses that have failed to rectify their violation.