2G/3G/4G signal amplifiers must bear the CE marking and can be put into operation only upon the agreement of the mobile telephone and mobile internet operators!

09.09.2019

“Ever more users are using lately2G/3G/4Gsignal amplifiers to enjoy a better signal. However, if these equipment items are not compliant or are put into operation without the operator’s agreement, they may cause harmful interferences to the other users in the coverage area, as well as to the providers. Moreover, I must emphasize that using this type of equipment involves using the radio spectrum and that can be done only by the operator that holds the licence for the use of radio frequencies. Since the use of such equipment, non-compliant or without the operator’s agreement, is increasing every year, we warn the users that they risk sanctions according to the legislation in force”, Mr. Cristin POPA, Monitoring and Control Executive Director within ANCOM, said.

Use of 2G/3G/4G signal amplifiers

The mobile telephone service works through radio waves propagation, which can be affected by various obstacles (buildings, tunnels, hills, forests, lakes or weather conditions), by the type of phones used, by the number of calls initiated simultaneously by several persons etc.

The signal amplifiers (also called repeaters) are a type of equipment designed to take over the signal issued by the providers of mobile communications services from outdoor and amplify it indoor, offering an improved radio signal power.

A signal amplifier which does not bear the CE marking is non-compliant. When such an equipment is put into operation on Romania’s territory, it can produce interferences which hamper the well-functioning of mobile telephone services. Thus, the number of users who can use the mobile telephone service or the mobile internet service in the respective area decreases significantly, calling becoming sometimes impossible, while ongoing calls are interrupted.

In extreme cases, interferences caused by non-compliant equipment can hinder the calling of the emergency number 112.

If in 2016 seven such non-compliant signal amplifiers were traced and seized, their number reached 62 in 2017, 132 in 2018, while in the first half of this year 44 amplifiers without CE marking which caused harmful interferences were traced.

Important

The users who use 2G/3G/4G signal amplifiers must check the existence of the CE marking on the equipment and, if this is missing, the equipment must be put out of operation. If the holders of such non-compliant equipment continue to use it, they breach the provisions of Government Decision no. 740/2016, risking sanctions that range between 500 and 5,000 lei.

As well, since using signal amplifiers (even those compliant and bearing the CE marking) involves using the radio spectrum, these can be put into operation only upon the agreement of the mobile telephone operators that hold the licence for the use of the radio spectrum.

Further information on the non-compliant equipment is available here.