The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) revised a type approval guidelines. It applies to electronic communications devices that form a part of an electronic communications service or are used as an electronic communications service. Currently, the previous version of Guidelines issued in 2015 is used. The present type approval guidelines are under discussion. The document was open for comments up to April 30.

The new version describes the application procedure in a more clear way and specifies the required documents for each application process. The processes are divided into:

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• Type Approval
• Type Acceptance
• Modification

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Type approval and type acceptance certificates are issued to a specific model of an electronic communications apparatus. Such certificates remain valid unless suspended.

The type approval process is started when the device is not approved by the ZICTA or it does not have a certificate of conformity from a National Regulatory Authority or a Conformity Assessment Body recognized by the Authority. If an applicant has evidence that the electronic communications device is type approved by a National Regulatory Authority or a Conformity Assessment Body recognized by the ZICTA, the acceptance procedure should be implemented.

A modification process is applicable when the device is type approved or type accepted but has modification that influences its technical characteristics. This procedure is also used in case of renaming or rebranding the approved device.

According to the Guidelines, the certificate can be suspended in the following cases:

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• When the provided information on the model of the device was falsely;
• The model doesn’t meet the requirements of relevant standards;
• Any circumstance that would have required or permitted the Authority to refuse to grant the approval;
• The applicable standards were changed;
• The revocation is in the public interest.

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The information has been prepared by the GMA Consult Group team. ‍

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