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TEC (Telecommunication Engineering Centre) Certification is a vital quality and safety certification process for telecommunications equipment in India. Telecommunication Engineering Centre is an autonomous body under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and it is responsible for developing standards and specifications for telecommunications equipment and services. TEC Certification ensures that telecom products meet the necessary technical and safety requirements, enhancing the quality and reliability of telecom services in the country.

Need broader regulatory support beyond this certification? See iKargos's full trade compliance advisory.

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TEC MTCTE (Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecommunication Equipment) is a statutory certification framework administered by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), the technical wing of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, Government of India. Under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017, every telecom equipment and networking product sold, imported, or used in the Indian telecom network must undergo mandatory testing and certification before commercial deployment.

At iKargos, we manage TEC MTCTE certification end-to-end for Indian telecommunications manufacturers, system integrators, and global hardware OEMs. We coordinate with designated Conformance Assessment Bodies (CABs), manage technical filings on the MTCTE portal, and synchronize certifications with customs import clearance.

For a customized and attractive quotation, please contact with your product details to Rekha Atri (+91 98118 03136) or Manju Laur (+91 9711994042). 

Overview of TEC Certification:

The TEC certificate is granted by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre following the mandatory testing and certification of telecom equipment as per the MTCTE (Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment) scheme. The certification process involves testing and evaluation of telecom equipment to ensure that it complies with the technical standards and regulations set by TEC. This includes assessments of electromagnetic compatibility, safety and performance parameters. Products that receive TEC Certification are deemed fit for use in the Indian telecommunications network.

TEC Certification is particularly significant for manufacturers, importers and service providers in the telecommunications industry. It assures compliance with Indian regulations and provides a competitive edge by demonstrating product quality and safety to potential customers and partners. It contributes to the overall reliability and efficiency of the telecommunications infrastructure, benefiting both businesses and consumers by ensuring the uninterrupted and secure operation of telecommunication services in India.

TEC has released guidelines outlining quality measures for telecom equipment. These specifications are categorized into three types: Generic Requirements (GRs), Interface Requirements (IRs) and Service Requirements (SRs). TEC provides various voluntary certification schemes aligned with its product and interface technical standards. These programs involve the certification of products and equipment by assessing their compliance with the specific parameters and conditions outlined in the corresponding TEC technical standards.

The following products are covered under the Compulsory Registration Scheme:

S No.Product NameGroupScheme
12 Wire Telephone EquipmentASCS
25G CoreCGCS
3All InterfacesDGCS
4BSC RNCCGCS
5Cell Broadcast CentreCGCS
6Compact Cellular NetworkCGCS
7Conferencing and Presentation EquipmentBGCS
8Conferencing EquipmentASCS
9Converged Multiservice Application Access EquipmentBGCS
10Cord Less TelephoneASCS
11DSL EquipmentsBGCS
12EIRCGCS
13Endpoint Device for Environmental Monitoring with Cellular ConnectivityBGCS
14Equipment Operating in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Frequency BandsBSCS
15Feedback Devices (IoT) with Cellular ConnectivityBGCS
16GMLCCGCS
17Group 3 Fax MachineASCS
18HF Radio Base Station and User TerminalsCGCS
19HLR AUC HSSCGCS
20Hybrid Set Top BoxBGCS
21HypervisorBGCS
22Infiniband SwitchCGCS
23IoT Gateway with Cellular ConnectivityBGCS
24IP Multimedia Conferencing EquipmentBGCS
25IP Security EquipmentCGCS
26IP TerminalBGCS
27ISDN Customer Premises EquipmentASCS
28LAN SwitchCSCS
29Media Converter equipment (for conversion amongst E1, WiFi, xDSL, Ethernet and Digital Interfaces ovBGCS
30Media GatewayCGCS
31Mobile BTS (Base Station for Cellular Network)CGCS
32Mobile Management EntityCGCS
33Mobile Radio Trunking System Base Station and User TerminalsCGCS
34Mobile User EquipmentCGCS
35Mobility Management EntityCGCS
36ModemASCS
37MSC or MSC-S or GMSC or GMSC-S including VLRCGCS
38OMC or EMS or NMS or OSSCGCS
39Optical Fibre - Single ModeCGCS
40Optical Fibre CableCGCS
41OTA and DM or FOTACGCS
42Point of Sale (POS) Devices with or without Biometric ScannerAGCS
43PON Family of Broadband Equipments (ONT, ONU, OLT)BSCS
44Precision Timing Protocol Grand Master EquipmentCGCS
45Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX)BSCS
46PTP PMP Microwave Fixed Radio SystemsCGCS
47Radio Broadcast Receiver RBRBGCS
48Repeater for Cellular NetworkCGCS
49RouterCSCS
50Satellite Communication SystemsCGCS
51ServerBGCS
52Service Control Point (SCP)CGCS
53Session Border ControllerCGCS
54SGSN or GGSNCGCS
55S-GW or P-GWCGCS
56Signalling GatewayCGCS
57SIMCGCS
58Smart Camera with Cellular ConnectivityBGCS
59Smart Electricity Meter with Cellular ConnectivityBGCS
60Smart Watch with Cellular ConnectivityBGCS
61SMLC or eSMLCCGCS
62SMSCCGCS
63Soft SwitchCGCS
64Tracking DevicesBGCS
65Transmission Terminal Equipment-2CSCS
66Transmission Terminal Equipments (SDH Equipment, Multiplexing Equipment)CGCS
67VHF and UHF Radio Base Station and User TerminalsCGCS

 

Certification Schemes Under MTCTE:

  • Simplified Certification Scheme (SCS): Applicable to lower-complexity telecom equipment. The applicant submits test reports from designated CABs, accompanied by a self-declaration of conformity, resulting in expedited certificate grant.
  • General Certification Scheme (GCS): Applicable to high-complexity telecom products, optical transmission equipment, 5G core networks, and carrier-grade routers. Requires detailed technical evaluation and scrutiny of all test reports by TEC officers prior to certificate issuance.

Benefits of TEC Certification:

TEC Certification is important for manufacturers operating in the Indian market in several ways: TEC certification is mandatory for legal telecom operations and commercial success:

  • Statutory Market Authorization: Fulfills DoT and Indian Telegraph Act mandates, avoiding regulatory penalties, device confiscation, and blacklisting from Indian telecom infrastructure.
  • Zero Customs Port Delays: Indian Customs verifies MTCTE certificate credentials on the ICEGATE single window during import. Valid certification ensures rapid clearance of networking and telecom hardware without demurrage.
  • Telco & ISP Procurement Eligibility: Major telecom service providers (Airtel, Jio, Vodafone Idea, BSNL) and internet service providers strictly require TEC MTCTE certificates before onboarding enterprise network hardware.
  • Enterprise & Government Tender Access: Mandated across all central and state government procurement, Smart City projects, defense communication networks, and GeM (Government e-Marketplace) tenders.
  • Network Reliability & Interoperability: Proves that equipment functions smoothly without causing network degradation, signal drops, or interference in carrier-grade environments.
  • Long-Term 5-Year Validity: Standard MTCTE certificates are valid for 5 years, providing commercial stability for multi-year product deployment cycles.

Who Needs TEC MTCTE Certification?

TEC MTCTE applies to any entity manufacturing, importing, or deploying telecom and networking products in India:

  • Domestic Telecom Manufacturers: Indian companies manufacturing wired or wireless networking equipment.
  • Importers & Brand Owners: Indian trading entities importing commercial network equipment for resale or deployment.
  • Foreign OEMs / ODMs: Global telecom hardware manufacturers exporting to India (must apply through an Authorized Indian Representative – AIR).
  • Enterprise Hardware Providers & IoT Providers: Companies manufacturing IoT gateways, smart utility meters with cellular connectivity, tracking hardware, and communication routers.

Key Product Categories Covered Under MTCTE Phases (I to V):

  • Routing & Switching: Core routers, edge routers, enterprise LAN switches, WAN switches, media converters.
  • Broadband & Optical Equipment: PON equipment (GPON/EPON ONT, ONU, OLT), SDH/DWDM multiplexing equipment, optical fiber transmission systems.
  • 5G, 4G & Cellular Network Hardware: 5G Core (5GC) network solutions, eNodeB/gNodeB base stations, BSC, RNC, MSC servers, SGW/PGW gateways, repeaters.
  • Enterprise Voice & Conferencing: IP PBX, PABX systems, soft switches, session border controllers (SBC), VoIP terminals, conferencing and video equipment.
  • Connected IoT & Smart Devices: Smart electricity meters with cellular modules, IoT gateways, smart CCTV cameras with cellular links, GPS tracking devices.
  • Customer Premises Equipment (CPE): Modems, Wi-Fi access points, ISDN terminals, smart POS devices.
     

Documents Required for TEC Certification:

Legal address proof of the Manufacturing Unit.

  • Copy of Factory License mentioning the relevant product as the scope of manufacturing and indicating the address of manufacturing unit - in English as well in original language.

Trademark Details:

  • Copy of Trademark (Brand) Registration.

  • Authority Letter from Trademark owner, if manufacturing unit is not the owner of Trademark.

Technical Details about the Product:

  • Sample(s) along with user manual and accessories to run the product.

  • Product name, Brand name and Model number.

  • Safety critical components list.

  • BoM (Bill of Material).

  • PCB layout and circuit diagram of the product.

  • Mains power / SMPS Layout and circuit diagram.

  • Details of series models.

  • Copy of marking label.

  • OEM support to configure the product for functional testing, if required.

Details of AIR (Authorized Indian Representative), in case of foreign manufacturer:

  • KYC of AIR Company.

  • Details of signatory person.

Additional Technical Details in case of Cell / Battery:

  • UN 38.3 test report (Transportation of Dangerous Goods) for lithium-ion cells and batteries.

  • ISO 9001 certificate.

     

SNO.Particular DescriptionList of Required Information
1CDF for TEC Certificationdownload
2FAQs - PON (ER)download
3MTCTE - New Labelling Guidelinesdownload
4MTCTE - Procedure Details - Version 2.0download
5MTCTE - Procedure Details - Version 2.1download
6TEC - ER Annexure / Parameter (for Testing)download
7TEC - Modified Version Chart 2.1download
8TEC - Terms and Conditionsdownload
9TEC Basic Informationdownload

 

Fees and Timeline:

Government Fee:

Group of EquipmentAdministrative Fee / Certification Modification Fee / Renewal Fee Test Report Evaluation FessTotal
Group A₹10,000 (USD 175 approx.)₹50,000 (USD 850 approx.)₹60,000 (USD 1025 approx.)
Group B₹20,000 (USD 350 approx.)₹1,00,000 (USD 1700 approx.)₹1,20,000 (USD 2050 approx.)
Group C₹30,000 (USD 550 approx.)₹2,00,000 (USD 3400 approx.)₹2,30,000 (USD 3900 approx.)

 

Service Charge and Duration:

Scheme / GroupDuration (Indicative Working Days) Including Testing & Application to TECCharges Including Testing, Handling, Consultancy & Liaison
SCS / Group A30-35 DaysFor a customized and attractive quotation, please contact us with your product details at +91- 99717 70603
GCS / Group A30-45 Days
GCS / Group B45-55 Days
GCS / Group C55-65 Days

For a customized and attractive quotation, please contact with your product details to Rekha Atri (+91 98118 03136) or Manju Laur (+91 9711994042). 

Step-by-Step to Apply for TEC MTCTE Certification

  1. Product Mapping & ER Identification: Identify product category, applicable MTCTE Phase, certification scheme (SCS vs GCS), and the specific Essential Requirements (ER) standard.
  2. Testing at Designated CAB Laboratories: Submit physical product samples to a TEC-designated CAB laboratory in India for EMI/EMC, safety, and technical interface testing.
  3. Portal Profile Registration: Create an applicant profile on the MTCTE online portal with verified corporate credentials and digital signature.
  4. Application Filing & ER Parameter Entry: Upload completed CAB test reports, technical datasheets, schematics, and enter product model specifications against each ER parameter.
  5. Government Fee Payment: Pay statutory evaluation and certification fees online through the portal's integrated payment gateway.
  6. Technical Scrutiny & Evaluation: (SCS: Automated verification; GCS: In-depth review by TEC officers).
  7. Grant of TEC Certificate: TEC issues the official MTCTE Certificate containing the unique certification identifier.
  8. Labeling & Commercial Deployment: Affix the mandatory TEC certification label on the equipment and packaging, and link credentials with customs Bill of Entry filings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Products Covered Under This Certificate

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