The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday announced that it would suspend the collection of inspection fees for telecommunication radio frequency devices purchased from overseas through online shopping, after the new policy triggered a backlash from users and lawmakers across party lines.
The nation’s telecom service regulator last week said that people who purchase two or fewer Class 2 telecommunications radio frequency devices from abroad through online shopping would be asked to start paying inspection fees, with each case costing NT$750.
The policy would not affect people who carry such devices when returning to Taiwan from overseas.
Photo: Yang Mien-chieh, Taipei Times
Devices that are subject to inspection are those that would transmit low-power radio waves, including mobile phones, tablet computers, Bluetooth headsets, Wi-Fi access points, and wireless keyboards and mouses.
The commission defended the policy last week, saying that the fee is charged to cover the rising administrative costs that the agency has incurred as an increasing number of people purchase radio frequency devices through online shopping.
The Charges and Fees Act (規費法) also stipulates that fees must be charged based on costs, it said.
However, lawmakers across party lines have urged the agency to reconsider the policy due to responses from their constituents.
“We would review the pricing scheme of the inspection fee as well as who should pay the fee after considering public reactions to the new policy,” the commission said. “As such, those who apply to have the radio frequency devices inspected would be told that they have unpaid fees, pending the decision from the agency.”
Users would be allowed to import the devices to the country even if they have yet to pay the inspection fee, the commission said.
Some users have also proposed to change the policy on the National Development Council’s Public Policy Online Participation Network Platform, with the number of people seconding to the proposal reaching the threshold for an official government response, the commission said.
“We would humbly review input from all relevant parties and immediately start proceedings to consider the most reasonable and appropriate ways of charging users after taking into relevant administrative costs,” it said.
The legislature had earlier slashed 50 percent of the commission’s budget and froze 10 percent of the remaining amount.
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