The Telecommunication Engineering Centre was instituted by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in 1991 to aid the Department of Telecommunication in creating, implementing, monitoring, and regulating the standards and developing policies concerning the safe and secure use of new innovative technologies in the telecommunications sector. The Telecommunication Engineering Centre or TEC provides certain approvals and certifications to equipment used in the telecom industry based on standards and specifications developed by TEC. Scroll down to check more about TEC Certificate Number.
The categories of specifications are as follows:
- Generic Requirements or GR
- Interface Requirements or IR
- Service Requirements or SR
What is the TEC Certificate Number?
Once the telecom equipment is granted certification by TEC, a TEC Certificate Number is generated, which is a unique identification number to be affixed on the equipment to which certification has been granted. The TEC certificate number signifies that the equipment meets the necessary standards and product specifications as laid down by TEC.
Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment
Prior to 2019, obtaining a TEC Certificate was a voluntary process. However, pursuant to the mandate laid down in the Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017, which states that all telecom equipment must undergo compulsory testing and obtain subsequent certification before such equipment is deployed in the Indian market. Pursuant to this, a detailed procedure for the Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment was notified, according to which the testing must be conducted on the basis of Essential Requirements or ER. The testing shall be conducted by labs approved by TEC for this purpose and based on the test reports; the TEC certificate shall be granted. There is equipment like, inter alia, smart cameras, mobile user equipment, router, modem, cordless telephone, and tracking devices which mandatorily require obtaining a TEC certificate before being operational in the Indian market. Obtaining a TEC certificate is imperative to ensure the safety of the consumers and to make sure that such equipment conforms to both national and international standards.
Pre-Requisites to Obtaining A TEC Certificate
- There are certain requirements to be adhered to apply for a TEC certificate and they are as follows:
- If the manufacturer of the products is Indian, then an authorized signatory appointed by such manufacturer
- For foreign manufacture, an authorized Indian representative or AIR-appointed such manufacturer which shall handle the certification process. The AIR must be an Indian business entity. A memorandum of understanding between the foreign manufacturer and the AIR, if applicable.
- Proof of registration of business entity if the manufacturer is an Indian entity.
- Test reports as per the norms of TEC by an Indian lab approved by the TEC in this regard
- Details as to registration of the company
- Details as to the trademark of the company
- Details as to the brand of the company
Documents Required to Obtain a TEC Certificate
There are specific necessary documents which are required to be uploaded on the portal and they are as follows:
- Documents showing the registration of the company
- Letter of authorization granted to the authorized signatory or the All-India Representative, as the case may be, to handle the MTCTE certification process
- Copies of the memorandum of association and articles of association signed by the directors of the manufacturing company or the company secretary.
- A Memorandum of understanding was signed between the AIR and the foreign manufacturer granting permission to the AIR to carry out sales and other functions related to the equipment in India.
- The latest shareholding pattern reports of the company with details of shareholders and members of such company.
Steps to Obtain a TEC Certificate
- Registration on the MTCTE Portal and Filing of the Application
The applicant looking to obtain a TEC certificate must register on the MTCTE portal[1] and fill up the application and submit relevant documents on the portal.
- Review of Application
The TEC shall assess the application and scrutinize the documents to check for any errors or shortcomings in the application. If TEC finds any error in the application or documents, the same shall be intimated to the applicant and such applicant shall be given an opportunity to rectify the error and the registration of the applicant shall be accepted.
- Submission for Testing
Once the application has been registered, the applicant must submit it for testing and certification. The applicant is required to select the product to be tested and provide other requisite details. The applicant is also required to upload a Bill of Material or BoM, which is a file that contains information as to the model or multiple models which are to be tested, along with the datasheet of the equipment on the portal. The applicant is also required to provide information as to the location of the manufacturing units.
After the application is submitted, the applicant must furnish a testing fee. The applicant shall also be shown the Essential Requirements and certification scheme applicable to the product.
- Testing of the Product
The applicant is to get his product tested by a Conformance Assessment Body or CAB, which is a laboratory approved by TEC for testing purposes. The applicant can select an appropriate CAB as listed on the official portal and have the product tested based on applicable Essential Requirements.
The applicant has to then upload the test reports on the portal along with a summary of the test reports and an undertaking stating the accuracy and correctness of all the documents uploaded.
- Issuance of Certificate
Once the test reports are uploaded online on the portal, the same shall be assessed and reviewed by TEC, and if satisfied that the product and test reports conform to the standards laid down by TEC, it shall issue and grant a certificate.
Conclusion
The Telecommunication Engineering Centre was instituted by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in 1991 to create, implement, monitor, and regulate the standards and develop policies with respect to the safe and secure use of new innovative technologies in the telecommunications sector. As per the mandate provided in the Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017, telecom equipment require to be mandatorily registered and get TEC Certificate Number and obtain the requisite TEC certificate to ensure that telecom equipment deployed in the Indian market is safe for use and meets national and international standards for telecom equipment.
Read Our Article: Documents Required for TEC Certification: An Comprehensive Outlook
