People no longer need a license to operate personal locator beacons (PLB), the National Communications Commission (NCC) announced.
The decision was passed at the weekly meeting of the NCC on Wednesday.
NCC spokesperson Yu Hsiao-cheng (虞孝成) said that people often carry the beacons when they engage in outdoor activities in the mountains or at the sea.
He said that they can send signals for help through a personal locator beacons if they are in a threatening situation, particularly in remote areas or out of service areas for mobile phones.
The device allows people to send signals using frequencies from 406MHz to 121.5MHz, which are then transmitted through a satellite-based search and rescue system COSPAS-SARSAT to the Taipei Mission Control Center (TAMCC).
The center then verifies if the signals are sent from Taiwan, Yu said, adding that the TAMCC then alerts the National Rescue Command Center of the Executive Yuan so rescuers can identify the location of the locator beacon signal and launch an investigation. Users of PLBs, however, need to register their information with the TAMCC first so that the device can be used effectively.
Prior to the amendment of the regulations, the commission said that people needed to apply for a license to use PLBs and the commission then forwarded the information to the TAMCC.
Now people can register their PLB information at the TAMCC directly, provided the commission has certified the device is safe.
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