Only 5 Phones Can be Imported for Personal Use in 1 Year: PTA

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has notified “Type Approval Technical Standards Regulations”, allowing import of only 5 mobile devices in one calendar year for personal use.

Foreign missions including high commissions and embassies will file their Certificate of Compliance (COC) requests for import of telecommunication equipment through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, they will have to apply for type approval for terminal equipment after providing required documents/sample/fee to the PTA.

Furthermore, IMEI for the device(s) will contain only GSMA issued Type Allocation Code (TAC) otherwise it will be placed in the blacklist by the authority. Mobile devices that contain duplicated/cloned/stolen/counterfeit will not be allowed for the issuance of COC by PTA. PTA has the right to cancel/suspend the COC issued in case the product being imported/sold is found to be having manufacturing faults, hazardous to health/safety and not conforming to standards stated at the time of grant of COC.

According to the Type Approval Technical Standards Regulations, all type approval holders and persons importing PTA type-approved terminal equipment/mobile devices for sale and market in Pakistan shall ensure that they will establish customer service/after sales mechanism for facilitation of their customers and also obtain COC for parts imported for after-sales provision through PTA.

For devices operating in VHF frequency bands, the type approval holder will ensure that the equipment is sold to PTA License holders and devices are programmed within the allocated frequency band only as per license conditions. Furthermore, a monthly report for device sales along with end-user and PTA license details will be provided to PTA.

For devices operating in HF and UHF frequency bands, type approval will be granted subject to provision of PTA issued license and device will be programmed within the allocated frequencies band and output power as per license conditions. For equipment for maritime functionality, Authorization from a Pakistan Maritime Security Agencies (MSA) along with an issued license from PTA is required.

All entities interested in the assembling of terminal equipment in Pakistan will have to fulfill the following requirements prior to the assembly of terminal equipment; (a) Type approval of terminal equipment intended for assembling in, Pakistan; (b) Request on company letterhead containing following details; (i) company profile, SECP/firm Registration, NTN, Form-29 and Form-A, etc; (ii) address of location along with pictures where assembly line is proposed to be set up; (iii) details for terminal equipment including models planned to be assembled; (iv) certification/undertaking from manufacturer that; local mobile phone will be in line with best international practices/standards; and will conform to, the standards of Type Approval granted by PTA.

Provided that the applicant will intimate PTA about the setup of assembly for inspection, within thirty days of the initiation of the local assembly plant, the applicant will invite PTA to inspect the assembly line premises.

At the time of the inspection, the authority shall verify the following;

• Quality and control testing at assembly line including device function test;
• Controlled drop test of the device;
• Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) setup/tools (e.g. ESD Coat, Cap, Wrist band, etc.)
• Product Stress Testing (e.g. Temperature, Mechanical & Electrical, and Durability, etc.);
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Antenna & Signal Test;
• Evaluation and verification of IMEI writing