TEC Certification for GPON Devices – How to Obtain?

In this advanced world, by quick innovation & liberalisation, the telecom industry has been impacted around the world. Companies in the telecommunication industries convey data in the form of audio, video, speech, or words across the globe. The 3 main subsectors of telecommunications are telecom services, wireless communication & equipment. In 1991, the Government of India established the TEC (Telecommunication Engineering Centre) to develop standards for the telecommunication industry & to guarantee a high-quality network & smooth connectivity across different networks to preserve the advancement of the telecom industry. In India, various approvals like Certificates of Approval, Type Approvals, and Interface Approvals are issued by TEC. This process totally depends upon the types of products & technical standards associated with interfaces. In this blog, we will discuss how to get TEC Certification for GPON Devices.

What is GPON? – A Deep Analysis

GPON stands for Gigabyte Passive Optical Network; GPON is a leading standard of PON or Passive Optical Network,^[1]a type of point-to-multi-point network technology that delivers broadband access to the end-user through fiber optic cable. Here, the terms Gigabit in GPON denotes the maximum speed it provides, which is typically 2.488 Gbps downstream & 1.244 Gbps upstream. Remember that this bandwidth is shared amongst end-users, which usually results in broadband access speeds starting at 10 Mbps. On the other side, Passive signifies that the Optical Fiber Network doesn’t rely on any electrically-powered equipment in its path.

Presently, GPON Technology has proven to be the most generic type of Optical Fiber connection, which is almost 95% more energy efficient than a standard copper cable network. Furthermore, GPON also has a 1:64 ratio on a single fiber which means one fiber cable in a GPON can deliver data, voice, and video to up to 64 end-users. This makes it the optical network standard of choice for getting last-mile connectivity in an efficient & cost-effective manner, as a GPON reduces the no. of fiber runs in a Fiber Optical Network.

GPON has 4 different components:

1. OLT or Optical Line Terminal: It is the network manager of the GPON and its primary role is to send & receive video, voice & data optical signals to & from the ONT at the receiver’s end. Optical Line Terminal sends downstream optical signals at 1550 nm for video & 1490 nm for data & voice, whereas it gets upstream optical signals at 1310 nm and this prevents interference. Optical Line Terminal also converts received optical signals into electrical signals. It is connected to the optical splitter through backbone cabling.
2. Optical Fibre Splitter: This is a passive component that enables a single fiber optic cable to be split into multiple single strands of optic fiber that branch out & connect to individual Optical Network Terminals at end-user premises. A GPON splitter often has a particular spilt ratio that could be 1:64, 1:32, 1:16, 1:8, 1:4, depending upon the no. of outputs required.
3. ONT or Optical Network Terminal: The user end-point of GPON is the Optical Network Terminal. It’s a specialised modem for converting optical signals into electrical signals at the end-user’s premises. Hence, it enables broadband access for equipment like TVs, WiFi, desktops, etc. An Optical Network Terminal also sends optimised data & aggregated data from the end-user back to the Optical Line Terminal.
4. Transmitting Media: The transmitting media consists of the physical, passive hardware in the form of cabling & various components that is used along the GPON infrastructure. This comprises copper cables, patch cords for fiber optics, splitters, connectors, adapter panels, etc.

Documents Required for TEC Certification for GPON Devices

Following is the list of vital documents for TEC Certification for GPON Devices.

• Authorised Signatory from the authorised Indian Company;
• In case of a Foreign Manufacturer, he or she needs to appoint an Authorised Indian Representative to as a representative for the MTCTE Certification procedure. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Foreign OEM & Indian Representative;
• Trademark or Brand details;
• Company Registration;
• In the case of Indian Manufacturer, they need to provide all their legal documents for TEC Certification for GPON Devices;
• Product with valid test reports from the TEC-approved labs.

The following are the documents required for testing and Certification for GPON Devices:

• Documents of Company Registration;
• Authorisation Letter issued by the Company (Indian Manufacturer and Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) in case of Foreign Manufacturer) authorising for MTCTE-related responsibilities;
• Authorising the Authorised Indian Representative for discharging MTCTE-related responsibilities;
• Memorandum of Understanding between AIR and Foreign Manufacturers for sale & support of the product in India;
• Either CS or Director duly signs the AoA (Articles of Association) of the Company;
• The Company’s latest available Shareholding pattern shows the Board of Members or Shareholders;
• Memorandum of Association of the Company duly-signed by either Director or CS as per the norms.

Procedure to Get TEC Certification for GPON Devices

Following is the procedure for TEC Certification for GPON Devices:

1. Application Filing and Submission: First, the applicant needs to file the application online and fill all the information and upload relevant documents on the official website of MTCTE. The documents cannot be changed once they have been submitted.
2. Examination of Application: Then TEC will examine all the documents and applications, and any documents deficiencies will be informed to the applicant. After correcting any deficiencies, the Registration Application of the applicant will be accepted. After that, the applicant will be able to submit applications for Certification or Testing.
3. Submission of Application for Testing or Certification:  Applicant must select the product to be certified, its details & information about interfaces & accompanying models, if appropriate & upload the BoM and datasheet of the device to the website. Also, the applicant needs to submit the manufacturing location(s) of the Telecom or ICT equipment & contact details of the location.
4. Fee Payment: After submission of the application for TEC Certification for GPON Devices, the applicant must pay the testing fee.
5. Product Testing: Applicants can select CAB or Conformity Assessment Bodies as per their choice on the website. The device must be tested in a recognised CAB of an MRA partner country.
6. Submission of Product Testing Report: Then, the applicant must get their product tested at CAB and upload the test report. The applicant must submit a summary of the test report along with the test results, upload the reports & accept an undertaking online regarding the correctness of the uploaded reports or documents.
7. Scrutiny of Test Report: The submitted test results will be examined & a Certificate will be granted if the device is found to be compliant.
8. Grant of TEC Certification for GPON Devices: TEC grant TEC Certification for GPON Devices if they are completely satisfied with all test reports & equipment as per specified standard.

Conclusion

It is concluded that to device high-speed internet to your households, telecommunication operators have different technologies to choose from; it is compulsory to obtain a TEC Certification to import, manufacture, or sell Telecom equipment or device in India. Any Importer or Manufacturer of Telecommunication Equipment must get a TEC Certificate from TEC India.

Read Our Article: Documents Required for TEC Certification: An Comprehensive Outlook