Department of Telecom starts issuing telecom equipment test certificates

Telecommunication Engineering Center (TEC), the technical wing of the telecom department, on Tuesday started issuing a certificate to telecom equipment makers after testing their products in government certified laboratories set up in the country.

The certificates have been issued after a delay of about six years. The government had first set October 1, 2013, as the deadline for scrutiny of all telecom products and equipment to be sold in the country to check espionage through malwares.

However, the deadline was postponed several times due to non-readiness and shortage of labs in the country.

The first set of certificate has been issued to Panasonic and Vadodara-based electronics firm Matrix Comsec in simple telecom equipment category.

"The whole idea of testing here is not to create any obstacle but to make things simple for the industry and affordable as well. There is no reason why India should not become a centre for testing and certification," Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan said after handing over certificates to the companies.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) had amended the Indian Telegraph Act in 2017 to address issues hampering the process of mandatory testing of products that are to be sold in the country from October 1, 2018.

The government has now set October 1, 2019 as a fresh deadline for mandatory testing and certification of 13 simple telecom products like landline phones, cordless phones, modem, fax machines etc.

"Testing of all products including mobile phones and telecom equipment will start gradually in a phased manner. New products will be notified from time to time that are to be included in the mandatory testing process," said D K Khanna, TEC deputy director general for telecom certification and MRA.

The government has authorised 40 private labs and 10 state-run bodies to conduct security testing of telecom equipment and products.