BY CHIDIEBERE NWANKWO
In exercise of its powers to regulate, establish and enforce standards for all telecommunications equipment in operation in Nigeria, to ensure that they operate seamlessly and safely within the Nigerian telecommunications environment, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has published approved handsets and telecom equipment that can be brought into and used within the country.
The list of type-approved gadgets, which was released last week and posted on the Commissions website include 1,977 handsets and 5,839 equipment
The Commission stated the essence of type-approving gadgets that come into the country: “To ensure maximum interoperability and affordability for consumers, the Type Approval standards set by the Nigerian Communications Commission are based on international standards from; The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and its International Special Committee on Radio Interference (CISPR), The European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). Note that Nigeria is an associate member of IEC through the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and could become an associate member of CENELEC and ETSI.”
The NCC called on stakeholders to ensure they import only approved equipment into the country: “All equipment manufacturers, vendors and operators, including customer devices such as mobile phones and wireless adapters, must therefore ensure that their equipment conform to the applicable standards as mandated by the Commission before bringing them into Nigeria.”
The type approval equipment standards cover all telecommunication equipment including Analogue Wireline Telephony Equipment; Wireless Short & Long Range Equipment; Wireless Local Loop Equipment; Wireless Local Area Equipment; 2nd & 3rd Generation Mobile Telephony Equipment; Fixed & Mobile Satellite Connection Equipment; Digital & Analogue Leased Line Equipment and Digital Subscriber Loop Equipment.
The Commission however noted that the initial version of the Type Approval Standards excludes equipment specifically for services that include those that are currently outside the scope of the Commission’s authority under the Act (such as broadcasting); those that are thought unlikely to be provided in Nigeria, such as Public Access Mobile Radio and Integrated Services Digital Networks; and services that are obsolescent in Nigeria (such as analogue mobile telephony).
“In general, Equipment Holders should refer to the most recent editions of the standards and watch for subsequent amendments,” the Commission encouraged.
According to the NCC, devices that must be subjected to the Type Approval process are:
- Spectrum Dependent Equipment (Radio equipment), NodeB, eNodeB, gNodeB microwave equipment, among others
- Non-radio Dependent Equipment (Equipment with Networking Interfaces) Enterprise, Service Provider Routers, Switches, Security Appliances,
- Short Range Devices (SRD) –NCC SRD Regulation Products/Devices including Radio Equipment installed in vehicle, fridges, air conditioners, among others.
- Terminal devices (mobile phones, mi-Fi, tablets, CPE, among others.)
- All telecoms terminal equipment collectively known as Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (RTTE), RED i.e. intentional and non-intentional radiators
- Major Network Equipment ISP Switches/MSC, BSC, nodeB, eNodeB, microwave radios
- Short Range Devices and Internet of Things (IoT)
The Commission encouraged interested parties to visit its website, https://www.ncc.gov.ng/technical-regulation/standards/type-approval#approved-equipment for updated list of the type-approved equipment.
