UAE telecoms authority warn retailers against selling unlicensed devices

AL AIN // Retailers are being asked to avoid selling unapproved and unlicensed devices and ensure authentic stickers are provided by suppliers before they are sold to the public, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said on Wednesday.

An awareness workshop organised by the TRA was held in Al Ain in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi. It was aimed at informing sellers and users about the risks of unapproved telecoms devices, or connect the devices to any telecoms network in the UAE.

Sales staff can verify the safety of devices by matching the IMEI number registration inside the device, which will be displayed on the device’s screen once the code *#06# is pressed.

Fake devices can be detected by removing the brand logo from the main screen of the device, as genuine devices have their brand names on the device.

The accompanying music when the device is turned on can also indicate if it is counterfeit, as well as by checking if the brand name is correctly spelled.