PTA all set to impose fee for processing, issuance of CoC

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is all set to impose application/processing administrative fee for processing and issuance of Certificate of Compliance (CoC) and review the existing Type Approval fee structure to cater for the regulatory overheads.

Currently, there is no application/processing administrative fee being charged by the PTA to applicants for processing and issuance of CoC.

The authority stated that there is a dire need to impose such administrative/regulatory/applications processing fees in order to cater for the regulatory overheads such as the expenses associated with the allocation of human resources, handling paperwork, dispatching CoCs to the applicants, correspondence with multiple entities, payment of the GSMA TAC database subscription fee(s) and above all the administrative cost associated with the operation and maintenance of DIRBS platform.

The major cases being processed by Type Approval Directorate for processing and issuance of COC are; a. Commercial CoC i.e., CoC for already Type Approved SIM/ IMEI based devices imported in CBU form by commercial importers b. CoC for mobile phones in SKD/CKD form imported by Mobile Device Manufacturing (MDM) Authorization holders for manufacturing in Pakistan. c. CoC for finished mobile phones manufactured by Mobile Device Manufacturers. d. CoC for registration of mobile phones in individual category. e. CoC for the non-SIM based terminal/ telecom equipment.

The CoC application processing administrative fee that will be applicable for commercial CBUs, Commercial CoC, Non-SIM based Terminal/Telecom equipment and CoC for MDM SKD/ CKD parts applications submitted to PTA. For commercial CBU fix fee would be Rs5,000, for MDM (parts import) Rs2,500 and for commercial non-SIM Terminal/Telecom equipment Rs2,500.

The Authority Charges Application Processing Fee (Non-Refundable) and Type Approval certificate fee separately. The revised fee structure is given below.

Current processing fee is $100 which would be revised to $200, Type Approval certificate fee is currently $100 which would be revised to $200, while Short Range Devices (SRD) & Terrestrial Internet of Things (IoT) Services etc. (Processing fee+ Certificate Fee) is $50+$50 which would be revised to $100+$100.

Under regulations 23(h) and 23(l) of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (Functions & Powers) Regulations, 2006 the authority may levy and charge fee for Type Approval and any other fee for any authorization granted under the Act and for the purpose of the Act such as administration of license, approval for extension of the service/system etc. as may be specified by the Authority.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024