MTCTE and TEC

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

MTCTE (Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment) TEC (Telecom Engineering Centre Approvals)

Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC) is an attached office of the Department of Telecommunications of Government of India and is the Nodal Organisation for Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment. Traditionally, it has been engaged in various kind of approvals for equipment that need to connect to public networks or interface with them. These included Equipment Type Approval and Interface Approval. The Approvals are granted based on compliance of the product to standards published by TEC known as Generic Requirements (GRs) and Interface Requirements (IRs).

TEC has now also come out with a new regulation commonly known as “Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment” (MTCTE). Notified under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017, MTCTE provides that every telecom equipment (irrespective of whether it connects to public networks or not) must undergo mandatory testing and certification prior to sale, import for use in India. MTCTE requires testing is to be carried out for conformance to Essential Requirements (ERs) for the equipment, by Indian Accredited Labs designated by TEC and based upon their test reports, certificate is issued by TEC. Certificates issued are valid for 5 years. Approval of Family of Equipment based on representative model testing is permissible.[/vc_column_text][vc_text_separator title=”WHO CAN APPLY?” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-users” title_align=”separator_align_left” add_icon=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1588500252571{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Indian Manufacturers or Manufacturers Abroad with established Authorised Indian (Local) Representative (ALR) could apply for TEC/ MTCTE Approval.[/vc_column_text][vc_text_separator title=”REQUIREMENT FOR TEC or MTCTE APPROVAL” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-book” i_color=”juicy_pink” title_align=”separator_align_left” add_icon=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1588575177415{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1589469075228{margin-top: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;}”]TEC approval as per GR / IR is necessary for a product that needs to connect to public networks or interface with them. These included Equipment Type Approval and Interface Approval. The approvals have been largely demanded for Government Procurements by MTNL / BSNL etc. but they are available for use by any desirous industry otherwise also.

MTCTE is an initiative where any telecom product coming to the country or produced by it has to comply to some minimum standards (named as Essential Requirements (ERs)) irrespective of whether a product that needs to connect to public networks or interface with them or not. Products are likely to be introduced in a phased manner under the list for MTCTE and eventually to cover all telecom products.

Basic Rules

MTCTE regulation assigns products for certification based on

1. General Certification Scheme (GCS)
2. Simplified Certification Scheme (SCS)

Guidelines to follow:

• Testing in parts can be performed at different labs but overall compliance of ER is must
• International reports are accepted for some time but testing in Indian Labs is being mandated in phased manner
• Test Results of labs designated by MRA partners of India are accepted
• Certification needs to be obtained only once for a model of equipment, and is applicable for any quantity of the certified model of the equipment. A different model of the equipment needs separate certification
• However, associated models of the main model/ certified model of the telecom equipment shall be certified without testing. Further, if an equipment is tested and certified under family definition, any hardware configuration of the equipment formed by using a subset of modules/ chases from the family shall be treated as certified.
• Only complete-in-itself, standalone, independent equipment are tested and certified under MTCTE. Equipment modules/ components are not covered by MTCTE
• Further, combination of independent equipment made to form systems are not certified under MTCTE; instead, each independent equipment should be certified separately
• The issued certificate shall be valid for five years from the date of issue.
• In case where valid Type/ Interface Approval Certificate (TAC/ IAC) issued by TEC, or TSEC issued by BSNL based upon TEC GR/ IR is in vogue for any particular equipment, only incremental testing and result evaluation is required for issue of certificate. The validity of this certificate shall be for the remaining period of TAC/ IAC/ TSEC

Procedural Steps for MTCTE Approvals

• The applicant registers on MTCTE Portal by uploading relevant documents
• Applicant may submit application for testing/ certification after TEC approves registration
• Applicant selects product to be certified, its variant details, available interfaces and associated models’ information and shall upload BoM file on the portal
• Applicable certification scheme, ER and fee is informed by MTCTE Portal
• After payment of fee, applicant shall submit test results/ reports
• If “reports not available”, applicant is directed to testing section of MTCTE portal
• Applicant selects CAB(s) of his choice for testing
• CAB uploads test results/ reports
• Applicant resumes the application and makes self-declaration of conformity (SDoC)
• Certification is Issued

Under General Certification Scheme (GCS)

• Under this scheme, applicant is required to submit test wise compliance along with test reports, in respect of parameters included in ERs, from any designated CAB or recognized CAB of MRA partner country. The test results are evaluated for compliance against respective ERs.
• If equipment is found compliant with all applicable Essential Requirement parameters, a Certificate is issued to the applicant along with labelling details, for the specific model of equipment.

Under Simplified Certification Scheme (SCS)

• Under this scheme, applicant has to submit a test wise compliance sheet, along with a Self-Declaration of Conformity (SDoC), in respect of parameters included in ERs.
• All other rules/ procedures applicable in case of GCS shall apply in case of SCS, except that test reports are not required to be submitted by applicant or evaluated by TEC. TEC, however, reserves the right to ask the applicant to submit copy of report in case of SCS also.

Documents Required (Typical)

• Legal Entity Status of the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
• Legal Entity Status of the Indian Authorised Local Representative (if Telecom equipment are manufactured by Foreign OEM)
• Indian OEM is required to upload its Certificate of Incorporation for Company/ Partnership Deed for firm and an Authorisation Letter for authorizing an employee of the company to do all MTCTE related activities on MTCTE portal.
• If Applicant is the Authorised Indian Representative on behalf of the foreign OEM, the following 2 documents are also needed
  • An authorisation letter from Foreign OEM, authorising applicant company for certification of their telecom equipment under MTCTE
  • Affidavit or Memorandum of Understanding, signed between Applicant Company and Foreign OEM
• Test Reports for all parameters as per ER. Test reports shall not be older than 1 year. Self Declaration of Conformity if covered under SCS
• Not Applicable declaration in respect of each parameter of the ER not applicable for the product

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588575471212{margin-top: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]