Kenyans buying new mobile phones in Kenya may soon encounter changes in the type of mobile phones available in the market following fresh regulations by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA). The authority announced fresh regulations regarding the type of mobile phones to be sold and used in Kenya.
The new regulations are set to affect anyone selling, importing, or using mobile phones and communication gadgets in Kenya.
According to the authority, the new regulations are meant to ensure that mobile phones available in the market are safe and functional in Kenya. “Thinking of buying or importing a phone? CA has released new technical specifications… to ensure safer devices and better performance,” the authority announced in a notice issued to the public on Tuesday.
According to the new regulations, mobile phones are supposed to be sold by licensed dealers. This means that those mobile phones that are currently in the market and are not certified are to be locked out. The authority now wants sellers and manufacturers to study the new regulations and make sure that their mobile phones are compliant before selling them in Kenya.
For ordinary users, the message is simple buy from trusted, licensed shops. The Authority cautioned that uncertified phones could be blocked from accessing local networks, apart from having issues like poor performance or safety concerns.
The changes come at a time when CA banned 21 phone brands from the Kenyan market over failure to meet approval standards. When making the announcement, the regulator noted that there was an increase in low-standard phones in the market. They noted that such phones may interfere with networks or even pose health hazards to users.
With the new measures, CA claims to be cleaning up the market and protecting consumers, as more Kenyans continue to use mobile phones in daily communication and business.
