The Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) would like to inform all companies, enterprises, and wholesale and/or retail shops engaged in the importation, supply, and distribution of telecommunications equipment in the Kingdom of Cambodia that TRC has identified certain traders that have been illegally importing, supplying, distributing, advertising, purchasing and reselling through their websites and various social media platforms counterfeit and/or second-hand telecommunications equipment from abroad, including mobile phones, tablets, computers, Walkie-Talkies, and other telecommunications equipment (as specified in the annexed list), into the Kingdom of Cambodia without obtaining a Qualified Agent (QA) Certificate, a Type Approval (TA) Certificate for each model of telecommunications equipment, or an Import Permit (IP) issued by TRC. These unauthorized activities are in violation of Articles 15 and 16 of the Law on Telecommunications and relevant regulations.

Furthermore, counterfeit and/or second-hand telecommunications equipment from abroad, particularly mobile phones and Walkie-Talkies, poses a high risk of causing radio-frequency interference with essential national radiocommunication services, including public safety, emergency services, national security, aviation, maritime services, and radiocommunication services used by the national defense sector. Such equipment may cause radio-frequency interference with these services because radiocommunication equipment may have undergone unauthorized modifications to its radio frequency, transmitting power level, and other technical specifications, resulting in non-compliance with the prescribed standards before being imported into the Kingdom of Cambodia.

In addition to the aforementioned risks, counterfeit and/or second-hand telecommunications equipment that has not undergone conformity testing in accordance with safety and technical standards by the competent authorities may pose serious hazards to users and risks to public order due to:

• Unsafe batteries and charging systems;
• Insufficient electrical safety;
• Overheating, resulting in a risk of fire;
• Electromagnetic field exposure (EMF Exposure) exceeding the prescribed standards, which may affect users’ health;
• Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance that does not comply with the prescribed standards;
• Poor performance resulting from hardware or software modifications to equipment manufactured for other markets;
• Consumers suffering loss of money and time because the equipment is of poor quality;
• The possibility that unauthorized persons may use such equipment as tools to facilitate technology-related criminal activities, including online scams; and
• Environmental pollution, as these pieces of equipment constitute electronic waste imported from abroad.

In order to promote public safety, prevent radio-frequency interference to essential services, ensure fair competition, protect consumers, and contribute to the protection of the Cambodian environment, TRC calls upon all companies, enterprises, and wholesale and/or retail shops that have been importing, supplying, distributing, advertising, purchasing and reselling counterfeit and/or second-hand telecommunications equipment from abroad, including mobile phones, tablets, computers, and Walkie-Talkies, to immediately cease these illegal activities and take immediate action to ensure compliance with the Laws and Regulations of the Kingdom of Cambodia by applying for a Qualified Agent (QA) Certificate from TRC within 60 (sixty) days from the date of this Announcement and shall import, supply, distribute, advertise, purchase and resell only brand-new telecommunications equipment of clear and lawful origin that has obtained a Type Approval (TA) Certificate from TRC.

In the event that the companies, enterprises, and wholesale and/or retail shops continue to import, supply, distribute, advertise, purchase and resell counterfeit and/or second-hand telecommunications equipment from abroad, and/or fail to comply with the above legal requirements within the specified deadline, TRC will take strict measures, including confiscation of the illegal telecommunications equipment, imposition of fines, closure of advertising websites, and/or implementation of other measures in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.

TRC calls upon all companies, enterprises, and wholesale and/or retail shops that are legally engaged in the importation, supply, distribution, advertising, purchase, and resale of telecommunications equipment to cooperate and report the identities and addresses of individuals, companies, enterprises, or warehouses of traders or wholesale distributor representatives involved in illegal telecommunications equipment activities to TRC via hotline number 6789 during working hours or by email at info@trc.gov.kh.

Therefore, all companies, enterprises, and wholesale and/or retail shops that have been and are currently engaged in the business of importing, supplying, distributing, advertising, purchasing and reselling telecommunications equipment are hereby notified and requested to cooperate accordingly.