Laws and regulations applicable to telecommunications operators, service providers and dealers in telecommunication equipment.
Licensing Telecommunication Operators & Service Providers
Licensing Of Telecommunications Equipment & Dealers
Licensing Of Secondhand Equipment Dealers
Registration Of Internet Access Service Providers (IASPs) & Resellers
Regulation Of The Telecommunications Industry
Licensing Telecommunication Operators & Service Providers
- Telecommunication operators and service providers (including resellers) are regulated under the Telecommunications Act.
- Such operators and service providers must ensure they obtain the necessary licences from the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) before operating networks and providing/reselling services.
- Submarine cable system operators, fixed network operators and wireless network operators are examples of businesses that must be licensed.
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Licensing Of Telecommunications Equipment & Dealers
- Dealers of telecommunications equipment must obtain a Telecommunications Dealer’s Licence from IDA. A licence is required to make, import, rent out, sell or possess for sale, or offer telecommunications equipment.
- Dealers of telecommunications equipment (both fixed and wireless equipment) are required to ensure that the equipment that they deal in is registered with IDA. Such registered equipment, their packaging or their instruction manual must carry the “IDA Compliance Label”.
- Sellers of mobile phones, broadcasting apparatus, walkie-talkies, etc. are examples of businesses that must be licensed.
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Licensing Of Secondhand Equipment Dealers
- Dealers of secondhand equipment covered by the Secondhand Goods Dealers Act must be licensed by the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
- Secondhand telecommunications equipment such as mobile phones and smart phones fall under the Act. Dealers of such goods must obtain a licence from SPF.
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Registration Of Internet Access Service Providers (IASPs) & Resellers
- IASPs and Resellers are regulated by both IDA and the Media Development Authority (MDA).
- Under IDA, IASPs and Resellers are considered telecommunications operators and service providers, and must be licensed under the Telecommunications Act.
- Under MDA, IASPs and Resellers are considered Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and are required to register with MDA within 14 days of providing Internet access services.
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Regulation Of The Telecommunications Industry
- Aside from the Telecommunications Act and its regulations, industry players need to comply with standards, codes of practices and advisory guidelines issued by IDA.
- These standards, codes and guidelines deal with a myriad of issues including licensing, interconnectivity among licensed operators, equipment standards and competition among operators.
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