Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) devices sold in popular electronics outlets in Qatar are compliant with standards and specifications approved by the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), Gulf Times has learnt.
A supervisor of an electronics section of a well-known appliance centre maintained that the cordless phones and accessories like wireless headsets sold in their store did not interfere with 3G cellular networks.
This was corroborated by another staff of a popular hypermarket chain, whose claim came in the wake of a notice posted by the CRA in Gulf Times yesterday, warning the public that the use of wireless DECT 6.0 devices is not permitted in Qatar.
DECT is a wireless technology which originated in Europe but is now being widely adopted worldwide for cordless telephones.
The CRA warned that “Some DECT wireless devices, including cordless phones, wireless headsets and microphones operating on DECT 6.0 are in violation of the standards and specifications approved by the CRA.”
In its public notice, the CRA specified that DECT cordless equipment operating only in the frequency range 1800MHz (1.88GHz) and 1900MHz (1.9GHz) “are permissible for use in Qatar.”
The regulatory body stressed that “All DECT devices operating specifically within the frequency band 1920MHz (1.92GHz) to 1930MHz (1.93GHz) are not approved by the CRA” since they interfere with 3G cellular networks.
“Please note that while some versions of DECT devices designed for markets other than Qatar are suitable for use in the US and Canada, the frequency band under which they operate is licensed only for cellular mobile network operators in Qatar, and the use of these devices results in interference with 3G cellular networks,” the CRA said.
It added: “Their import, use, and sale is prohibited in Qatar, and the CRA, under 2006 Telecommunications Law (Decree 34), is empowered to confiscate any device or station found to be interfering with any of the national networks.
“The CRA will not hesitate to take legal action against users and suppliers of these devices.”
Similarly, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has declared the sale, purchase, and use of DECT 6.0 cordless phones as illegal in an announcement disseminated earlier this year.
Media reports, quoting an official, said the PTA banned DECT 6.0 cordless phones since they operated on the frequencies that interfered with the services provided by authorised telecommunications networks.
To beef-up its campaign against DECT 6.0 cordless phones, published reports added that the PTA Enforcement Division and its divisions in Karachi, Lahore, Muzaffarabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Rawalpindi are working with officials of the Federal Investigation Authority, police, chambers of commerce, trade unions, importers, vendors and sellers of telecom equipment.