Why TEC Certificate is Compulsory for Telecom Equipment in India?

Introduction

Acquiring TEC Certification for telecom products such as mobile phones, smart watches, HF radio, tracking devices, routers, IoT gateway, tracking devices, smart electricity meters, modems,  and many more is mandatory for their legal production, sales, and circulation in the Indian market. Not following this requirement could lead to legal consequences and disturb business flow.

This blog discusses the details of the TEC certification for Telecom Equipment, its importance, and the process to obtain it.

What is the Meaning of the TEC Certificate?

The Telecommunications Engineering Centre, under the Department of Telecommunications, issues the TEC registration certificate to the producers, importers, and business owners of telecom products in India. This certificate ensures the smooth flow of telecom products across India. The TEC certificate ensures the quality and safety of the telecom equipment which is set by the TEC and is mandatory to adhere to. The certificate is issued after testing the products as per the Essential Requirements in labs accredited by the TEC. 

According to the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017, it is mandatory for telecom products to undergo mandatory testing and certification before circulation in the market. The details and the list of products are given in the Mandatory Testing & Certification of Telecommunications Equipment (MTCTE) Procedure along with exemptions and recent amendments.

Also Read: What is TEC Registration Certificate?

Importance of TEC Certificate Registration

The Importance of TEC Certificate Registration lies in several key factors that ensure the integrity, safety, and efficiency of India’s vast telecom ecosystem.

1. Safety & Quality

   The TEC Certificate ensures that telecom products meet the standards of quality and safety along with improving the performance of the equipment. This assurance makes the products reliable for the consumers and are suitable for long-term use. 

2. Meeting National Standards 

   The TEC Certification ensures compliance with the necessary guidelines and performance standards of the telecom equipment promoting national interest and smooth functioning of the telecom industry. 

3. Business Growth

   The acquiring of a TEC Certificate helps the producers and importers to carry on a smooth business flow and maintain healthy competition in the Indian market. Healthy business competition, as a result, promotes advancement in the industry. 

4. Fulfillment of compliance regulations

   Obtaining a TEC Certification for Telecom Equipment ensures that the business owners, importers, and manufacturers regulate their products free of legal consequences. 

5. Promotes Trustworthiness 

   TEC-certified telecom products instill trust and confidence among consumers regarding the safety and reliability of these products. This in turn enhances the face of the brand and customer retention. 

6. Elimination of low-quality Telecom Products

   The TEC registration certificate ensures that there are no products of degrading performance circulating the market that could harm the safety of the general public like high-frequency emissions, etc. 

7. Freedom from Legal risks

   Circulating telecom products that are not credible as per the TEC-specific guidelines could open the way to legal penalties on your products, affecting your business. Therefore, testing and certification is a mandatory requirement and saves your business from unnecessary legal hassle.

Notable Changes in the MTCTE Procedure for Mandatory TEC Certification

The recent amendment in April 2024 in the MTCTE Procedure has replaced the TEC 93009:2021 guidelines. Some of the changes made are discussed below:

• The validity of the TEC certificate has now been extended to 10 years. 
• Requirement of Source Approval Certificate.
• Acceptance of BIS certifications and test reports issued by BIS-recognised labs. 
• No more issuance of Provisional Certificates. 
• Clarification regarding End of Life and End of Sale for replacement products. 

Process of Obtaining TEC Certificate

The detailed process of acquiring a TEC Certificate is discussed below:

• First and foremost, the applicant shall register on the MTCTE portal and obtain login credentials. 
• Once the registration is done, the application will submit the necessary documents on the MTCTE portal. 
• Then the application shall be checked by the TEC and the applicant will receive updates in case of missing documents. 
• Once the documentation is complete, the application will be forwarded for testing for which the applicant must select the product, details of the product, and information about its models. Along with these details, the manufacturing location and contact information must also be provided. 
• The TEC will then allot the laboratories where the applicant has to submit the samples of their product. 
• Once the testing is complete and the applicant receives the test reports, they will submit the reports to TEC and make the application payment. 
• The TEC will then review the test reports and grant the certificate to the applicant once the reports are satisfactory and up to the standards of the TEC. 

Click here to understand the detailed TEC certificate registration process.

Documents Required for TEC Registration Certificate

The following documents are necessary to acquire the TEC Certificate:

• Name, brand, and model specification of the product. 
• Proof of manufacturing location.
• Trademark copy, and authorization letter of the trademark owner.
• Bill of Material (BoM), samples, and user manual.
• Information about related models, and product’s marking label.
• Company’s MoA attested by the Director or CS of the company. 
• Articles of Association (AoA) duly attested by the Director or CS.
• AIR information for foreign manufacturers. 
• Circuit diagram and layout for SMPs.
• Details of the shareholders and members of the company. 
• ISO 9001 compliance certificate. 

The complete list of necessary documents is given here. 

Conclusion

The TEC ensures that new and improved technology in telecommunications keeps circulating in the Indian market while complying with the standards of safety and quality. It also helps businesses to grow while avoiding legal troubles due to non-compliance. Hence, MTCTE has a detailed document defining mandatory TEC certification for Telecom Equipment and the process to obtain the same.

To streamline the process of the TEC registration certificate, you can approach the top TEC Consultant such as Brand Liaison. The team of professionals and experts here can help you throughout the process and make your telecom products compliant in the Indian market.