COAI Hails Govt Move To Ban ‘Illegal’ Online Sale Of Walkie-Talkies

Days after the Centre issued guidelines to regulate the “illegal” sale of radio equipment on ecommerce platforms, industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has reportedly welcomed the decision. 

As per The Hindu businessline, COAI termed the move as a “much-needed regulatory response to the persistent challenge”. The association reportedly noted that the sale of such products online and their unauthorised installation in residential and commercial establishments could “significantly” degrade network quality and consumer experience of licensed telecom networks.

“Clause 4(i)(b) of the guidelines is a strong validation of our concerns and advocacy. We believe that this proactive step will go a long way in ensuring quality of service and upholding consumer rights,” COAI director general Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar reportedly added. 

The clause explicitly prohibits online platforms from listing or selling mobile signal boosters and wireless jammers. 

What Do The Guidelines Say?

This comes days after the consumer affairs ministry on May 30 notified the “Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment, including Walkie Talkies on E-Commerce Platforms, 2025”.

Finalised after inter-ministerial consultation with the home affairs ministry (MHA) and the telecom department (DoT), the new rules bar the sale of “illegal” radio equipment online, including walkie-talkies.

Under current rules, equipment like walkie-talkie can only be purchased after acquiring a wireless operating licences from concerned authorities. Besides, ecommerce platforms have to mention details such as frequency range and licensing obligations before selling such products. 

The consumer affairs ministry found that many marketplaces flouted these norms and misled “consumers into believing that the devices are freely operable by the general public”.

Here are the key takeaways from the recently issued guidelines:

• Only authorised and compliant walkie-talkie devices operating on permitted frequencies are listed for sale on online platforms
• Product listings to specify frequency ranges and other technical parameters and include proof of regulatory approval
• Ecommerce platforms have to undertake due diligence and verify regulatory compliance
• Prohibiting misleading ads or product descriptions that may misinform consumers about the legal usage of such devices
• Sellers should also ensure that equipment listed for sale do not operate on frequencies which are not exempted from requirement of frequency assignment and authorisation by DoT
• Ensure that the frequency bands on product description are clearly labelled

Besides, the new norms also outline penalties and enforcement mechanisms for violations by ecommerce platforms and mandate verification of seller credentials. It also aims to Introduce automated monitoring and takedown mechanisms for unauthorised listings.

It is pertinent to note that the central consumer protection authority (CCPA) earlier also issued 13 notices to ecommerce platforms regarding 16,970 product listings of walkie-talkies and other allied offerings. “These platforms are under constant monitoring and examination, in addition to notification of the guidelines,” added the consumer affairs ministry last week. 

Notably, this is not the first time that CCPA has cracked the whip on ecommerce platforms. Last month, consumer affairs minister Pralhad Joshi directed ecommerce companies to conduct self audits to analyse and remove dark patterns amid rise in complaints. 

In May, the CCPA also issued a notice to ride-hailing major Uber over its “advance tip” feature for faster ride confirmations while announcing a probe into rival players Ola and Rapido over the issue. In the same month, the government also issued notices to Amazon, Flipkart, Etsy and three other platforms over sale of Pakistani flags and related merchandise on their platforms.