200,000 Rand fine for illegal cordless phones

ICASA's Central Monitoring Office together with the Johannesburg Organised Crime Unit, have for the past few months been gathering information and evidence from companies and individuals who have dealings with the sale and purchase of illegal cordless phones.

Handsets that are not ICASA type approved cause interference because they do not comply with South African type approval specifications for telecommunications equipment. Handsets that do not bear the type approval sticker from ICASA are therefore, illegal and may be confiscated by ICASA or the police.

In January 2005, the Booysens Regional court handed Mr. Arthur Corado, the owner of J&M Phone Suppliers, a two hundred thousand rand fine (R200 000.00) after he pleaded guilty to 135 counts of selling and dealing in illegal cordless telephones.

Mr Corado was found contravening the Telecommunications Act 103 of 1996 and charged for being in possession of illegal cordless telephones.

The investigation further identified companies and individuals who purchased handsets from J&M Phone Suppliers and over 400 illegal cordless telephones were confiscated.

In February 2005, the Randburg Regional court heard a similar case, in which Mr. Michael Otto, the owner of Mottocom, was fined a ten thousand rand fine
(R10 000.00) or two years imprisonment sentence suspended for five years, for selling illegal cordless phones.

ICASA appeals to the public to ensure that any cordless telephones they may be using are type approved by ICASA and bear an ICASA type approval sticker.

Contact Person:
Praneel Ruplal
Manager: Type Approval and Licensing
Tel: 011 321 8200
Fax: 011 321 8581
E-mail: info@icasa.org.za

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