The Cameroonian regulator has begun a verification operation of mobile phones in the market. This action aims at getting rid of unapproved phones from the market.

In fact, the market surveillance will take place in a twofold phase: the first will be for the regulator to send technical teams into the markets for them to identify counterfeit phones. The second phase will be focused on the involvement of the customs services in order to strengthen the inspection measures across the two borders of Cameroon. By initiating this market surveillance campaign, the Agence de Régulation des Télécommunications (ART), calls forth all importers, distributors or sellers of unapproved phones to comply with the regulations in force. This, because telephones are also on the list of telecommunications equipment whose import or sale are subject to approval by the Regulatory Agency.
In addition, ART has been entrusted to issue the required paperwork for importing such devices. For ART, the process first consists in issuing a temporary admission license for the importation of equipment not yet approved in Cameroon in order for them to be approved, and second the import license that authorizes the importation of equipment already approved by the Agency while specifying the quantities to be imported. In this way, inspection actions are taken on the market by the Agency. This year, widespread inspection operations are expected to be carried out all over the country. This will make it possible to limit the widespread of those unapproved telephones in the domestic market and to control the volume of these equipment in circulation in Cameroon. The aim is also to stop counterfeit phones importation and put an end to the unfair competition of illegal importers.
It is also to be mentioned that ART requires a sample prior to any approval.