Pakistan Telecommunication Authority updates fees for compliance certificates

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is set to implement administrative fees for processing and issuing certificates of compliance (CoC) and reviewing the current fee structure for type approvals. This move comes as the PTA aims to cover regulatory costs associated with CoC processing, including human resources, paperwork handling, and communication expenses.

Following consultations with Mobile Device Manufacturers (MDMs), the PTA has updated its fee structure. The revised fees will apply to various CoC cases, such as Commercial CoC for imported devices, CoC for mobile phones in SKD/CKD form, and CoC for individual mobile phone registration.

Under the new fee structure, commercial Completely Built Units (CBUs) will incur a fixed fee of Rs5,000, while commercial non-SIM telecom equipment will be charged Rs2,500. Additionally, an application fee of PKR 70,000 will apply for every 1,000 MDM devices, with higher fees for additional device lots.

The revised fee structure separates the application processing fee from the Type Approval certificate fee. The processing fee will increase to $200, while the Type Approval certificate fee will also rise to $200. Moreover, fees for Short Range Devices (SRD) and Terrestrial Internet of Things (IoT) Services will double to $100 for processing and $100 for the certificate.

The PTA's decision to introduce administrative fees for CoC processing reflects its efforts to streamline regulatory processes and cover operational expenses. These changes aim to ensure efficient handling of compliance certificates and maintain the integrity of the telecommunications sector in Pakistan.