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Bombo Lin, president of Gabonese telecoms regulator ARCEP has announced the upcoming launch of a campaign against low-priced counterfeit mobile phones in the country, reports Agence Ecofin. According to ARCEP, many mobile devices used in Gabon are not manufactured according to official specifications or international standards, and are ‘a danger to the health of consumers’. The counterfeit devices are sold in Gabon at prices equivalent to around USD20-USD31. Lin said that the campaign will be launched ‘by surprise’ targeting key markets and commercial spaces in the capital Libreville, before expanding to other cities, with any counterfeit devices discovered to be destroyed. The ARCEP head added that, via agreements with Gabon’s mobile operators, there are ongoing initiatives for ‘considerable’ reductions in the price of legitimate equipment to make mobile communications more affordable and reduce demand for grey market products.
