Committee passes bill to punish unlicensed telecom services with MVR 5 mn fine

People’s Majlis National Development Committee has passed the bill to fine companies that provide telecommunication services without a license by MVR 5 million.

All members present during the meeting voted unanimously to pass the bill.

The bill, proposed in behalf of government by Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah says that people who kept radio communication devices without proper permits would also be fined up to MVR 5 million, same as unlicensed telecommunication service providers. And that additional fines of up to MVR 100,000 per day would be charged for each day that the company or person failed to comply with the law.

The bill also says that keeping equipment used for networking without a license, and parties that sold networking equipment without license would also be fined up to MVR 5 million.

The bill says that the authority that issued licenses would issue two types of licenses – individual licenses and class licenses.

Failure to pay up the amount for individual licenses, or failure to comply with regulations would be fined with MVR 1 million.

The bill also says that a fine of MVR 1 million would also be levied on the authority that issues the relevant licenses if they violate regulations.

MP Falah had said that the purpose of the bill was to carry out everything that has to do with telecommunication under a plan, and to set up a fixed procedure under which telecommunication service providers will be licensed.