Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

United Arab Emirates Experience

Ahmad AlshamsiManager Type Approval, UAE TRA

Ahmad.alshamsi@tra.gov.ae

Combating Counterfeit and Substandard ICT Devices

(Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014)

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

2

presentation Topics

ConcernsChallenges Experience and best practicesPast Cases

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

3

Defining the main Concerns

In order to better understanding what is the problem and how we could set our plan to control it and finding the best solutions, we started with defining the problems and concerns:

Government

Consumer

Business

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

4

Defining the main Concerns

Concerns of the Government

The telecom sector and how to maintain it

The high levels of hazardous threatening consumers and the environment

The protection of Telecom equipment's market from counterfeit & prohibited equipment's

The security and quality of service for users

The negative effects on the economy

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

5

Defining the main Concerns

Concerns of the Consumers

Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the privacy of their personal information.Significant health and safety risks.

Concerns of the Manufacturers

Brand value and firm reputationRevenue from new products to cover the research and development costs

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

6

Challenges

As per the TRA study 2012 about how to Improving efforts to combat

counterfeiting and piracy, we found many challenges, divided to :

Internal Challenges.External challenges.

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

7

Internal Challenges

challenges to improve the enforcement and finding ways to enhance it.

Development of strong and effective policies and procedures to combat illegal issues.Co-operation with industry and among governments Continuance Development of the enforcement team

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

8

External Challenges

challenges we are facing from out side world:public awareness of counterfeiting issues.

counterfeit devices dose the job just as well as genuine devices.

consumers with overconfident in their ability to recognize counterfeit devices.

Online stores, became active distribution channel for counterfeit products.

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

9

External Challenges

Continuance changes in how to deliver counterfeit devices to the market .

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

10

Experience and best practices

We developed the TRA strategic plan to combat counterfeit and substandard ICT products focused on 3 main areas:TRA regulations enforcement.

Consumer right

Co-operation with industry

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

11

TRA initiatives

TRA Awareness campaign.

Disconnect the fake and duplicate IMEI

Consumer Right

Disconnect the fake and duplicate IMEI

On 6 September, TRA issued directive 7 of 2011 “ Duplicate IMEIS”, to block all fake and duplicate IMEI from the GSM network in the UAE.

More then 100,000 devices with fake or duplicate IMEI have been disconnected from the service providers network

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

12

TRA initiatives

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

13

TRA initiatives

Disconnect the fake and duplicate IMEI

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

14

TRA initiatives

TRA Awareness campaign.

Based on our surveys, consumers are welling to know more about counterfeit.

In 2013, 5 main awareness campaign targeting consumers and dealers.

Today, the awareness campaigns about the counterfeit products became part of the UAE events program.

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

15

TRA initiatives

TRA Awareness campaign.

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

16

TRA initiatives

Consumer right Educate consumers about there right

Conclusions and Recommendations

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

17

Raising awareness in the community is job of government, privet sector and consumers to raise awareness.

Governments should work together through trade agreements to strength IP production

Industry should support governments efforts to combat counterfeiting

More initiatives from industry to help consumers

United Arab Emirates Experience

Geneva, Switzerland, 17-18 November 2014

18

Thank you