The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has issued new technical specifications for mobile phones and other communication devices, requiring that all phones sold in the country be fitted with USB Type-C chargers.
The authority says manufacturers must comply with the specifications to enhance consumer safety and network reliability.
The guidelines cover input power, safety standards, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), radiated power, frequency use and environmental considerations.
“These specifications aim to establish clear and comprehensive technical requirements for mobile cellular devices to ensure their safe, reliable, and efficient operation within Kenya’s telecommunications networks,” CA Director General David Mugonyi said.
The rules also require that materials used in the manufacture of mobile phones and accessories must not contain lead, mercury, cadmium or any other hazardous substances.
CA says the specifications are intended to ensure devices are safe for users by providing protection against electrical shock, heat and the risk of explosion during charging or use.
The battery of a mobile device should provide a minimum of eight hours of talk time and at least 24 hours of standby time.
Devices must also comply with national and international radiation exposure limits and be compatible with existing and future telecommunications networks.
The specifications further require that devices maintain network integrity and optimal performance by improving electromagnetic compatibility through limiting unintended emissions and ensuring resistance to interference.
“Where a device is sold with a power plug, the plug shall conform to the ‘Type G’ standard, 3-pin plug used in Kenya and where the device is sold with a power plug that is not 3-pin, an adapter to convert the non-3-pin to 3-pin shall be included,” the rules state.
The devices must support an operating voltage of 240 Vac ± 10% at a frequency of 50 Hz ± 1, in line with Kenya’s standard power supply.
“The charging solution shall be such that the charging cable is detachable from the power adapter while the charging solution for mobile cellular device shall be USB Type-C in line with European Union (EU) Directive (EU) 2022/2380.”
The mobile devices must support frequency bands used for 2G (GSM), IMT-2000 (3G), IMT-Advanced (4G) and IMT-2020 (5G), as well as future generations as allocated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
On safety, the CA says access to energised parts of the device must be restricted, and materials used must not exceed safe temperature limits.
“For mobile device with replaceable batteries, there shall be a marking close to the battery slot that warns of possible risk explosion if wrong battery type is used.”
The devices must also support accessibility features for persons with disabilities, including compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen readers, voice recognition and refreshable braille displays.
They must include features for users with limited or no vision, such as speech output, text-to-speech conversion, tactile or haptic feedback, non-visual navigation cues, adjustable text size and spacing, high-contrast display modes, magnifier functionality and screen reader compatibility.
“Devices shall support users with limited or no hearing through features such as visual notifications, text displays for audio content, vibration alerts, captioning options, audio amplification, adjustable frequency response, and real-time captioning.”
The devices must also support Real-Time Text (RTT) for messaging, visible caller identification, alternatives to voice-only services and access to emergency services without barriers.
