Communications: E-equipment assessment framework gazetted

Once in force, a conformity assessment framework for electronic communication equipment and facilities gazetted last week is expected to ‘improve the efficiency of product placement in the (South African) market’. Released in draft form in December 2018 for comment, the framework’s overarching objective is to address shortcomings in the prevailing ‘type approval process’, which it may eventually replace – although this is not clear, notes Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. To that end, it takes cognisance of the need for different ‘approaches’ in assessing each category of equipment/facility, informed by ‘inherent risk profile’ and in line with regulated technical standards.

At this stage, the regulations themselves appear to be a work in progress, along with market surveillance measures and enforcement mechanisms. In that context, reference is made to memoranda of understanding between the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) and ‘accredited testing bodies’, as well as collaboration with those designated to certify the equipment/facilities concerned. This is noting the importance of ‘ensuring interoperability, interconnect-ability and harmonisation’, among other things. The framework should be read with Icasa’s 2017 ‘regulatory position on equipment type approval exemptions’.