New Rules for Licence-Free Wireless Devices

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other low-power wireless devices can run in Bahrain without individual spectrum licences or fees under new rules that also allow rogue gear to be seized and its users fined if it strays beyond power or emission limits.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has issued its formal position on licence-exempt radio bands, spelling out what manufacturers, importers, service providers and users must do as wireless networks and Internet of Things devices spread across the kingdom.

The rules cover technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and low-power wide-area networks, which are widely used in smart-city systems, connected devices and consumer electronics.

Under Article 43 of the Telecommunications Law, as amended, the authority can exempt chosen frequency bands from the need for a spectrum licence, so long as users meet the technical conditions tied to them.

That freedom comes with a key rule: licence-free devices must neither interfere with licensed services nor expect protection from interference themselves.

If a device disrupts a licensed service, its user must stop operating it as soon as the authority orders them to do so.

No individual spectrum licence or usage fee is needed within the approved bands, provided the device stays within the allowed frequencies, transmission power and emission limits.

Those that break the limits can face action including warnings, seizure and fines.

The authority said the rules are meant to make shared use of radio spectrum easier while keeping licensed frequencies free from harmful interference. They are also meant to give makers, sellers and users a clear account of what is allowed.

Among the uses covered are wireless devices running in industrial, scientific and medical bands, low-power short-range devices and some radio station gear used within licensed networks.

Some private mobile radio devices are also exempt, as are receivers used for services such as the Global Positioning System and satellite television.

The authority said the International Telecommunication Union has identified several spectrum bands suited to licence-free use, with Bahrain assigning its own bands under local technical rules.

All radio gear meant for use in these bands must receive type approval before it is sold or used in Bahrain, apart from devices brought into the country for personal use.

The authority said its position can be reviewed as wireless technology, market needs and international practice change.