TEC Certification (MTCTE) for Telecom Equipment
Telecom equipment notified under MTCTE must be tested and certified by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) before it is sold, imported or used in India. The scheme began under Part XI of the Indian Telegraph Rules and now runs under the Telecommunications Rules, 2025. We handle your MTCTE portal registration, documents and application, while designated labs do the testing.
What it is
MTCTE stands for Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment. Under it, every notified telecom product, from routers and IP phones to fibre broadband (PON) equipment, must be tested against Indian Essential Requirements (ERs) and certified before it reaches the market. TEC, a technical body of the Department of Telecommunications, runs the scheme. People usually call the result “TEC certification”.
The scheme started with the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017, which added Part XI to the Indian Telegraph Rules by G.S.R. 1131(E) dated 5 September 2017. On 16 May 2025, the Telecommunications (Framework to Notify Standards, Conformity Assessment and Certification) Rules, 2025 (G.S.R. 315(E)) replaced rules 528 to 537, under section 19 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023. Existing standards continue until replaced, and all filing happens on the MTCTE portal (mtcte.tec.gov.in).
Who it applies to
You make telecom gear in India
Companies, LLPs, partnerships and proprietors that make or brand notified telecom equipment in India. The OEM registers on the MTCTE portal in its own name.
You represent a foreign maker
An overseas manufacturer applies through an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR), backed by a notarised affidavit or MoU and the foreign OEM’s authorisation letter.
You import or sell notified products
Anyone importing or selling a notified product needs it to carry a valid certificate, because uncertified notified equipment cannot be sold or used in India.
Why it matters
It lets you sell legally
Under the 2025 Rules, notified equipment needs a Certificate of Conformity Assessment before sale or use, and the certificate details must be displayed as specified.
It keeps your kit on the network
Rule 10 lets licensed service providers act against non-compliant equipment: after a written notice, if it stays in use beyond seven days, the service is suspended.
It lasts ten years
TEC has extended the validity of a regular MTCTE certificate from five years to ten, so one approval covers most of a product’s selling life.
GCS and SCS: the two schemes
TEC places every notified product in one of two schemes. The two differ in evaluation procedure and fee, as set out in TEC’s MTCTE procedure (TEC 93009:2024).
| Point | General Certification Scheme (GCS) | Simplified Certification Scheme (SCS) |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Notified products TEC places in the GCS category | Notified products TEC places in the SCS category |
| Testing | At a Conformity Assessment Body (lab) designated by TEC | At a Conformity Assessment Body (lab) designated by TEC |
| Latest change | Products re-categorised into GCS and SCS, with lower fees for ER-based applications, from 1 January 2024 | |
The category of each product is listed on TEC’s MTCTE pages. We check it for your exact product before you book a lab.
Documents required
For an Indian OEM
- Certificate of incorporation (company), notarised partnership deed (firm) or establishment licence (proprietor)
- Authorisation letter for the person handling the account
- PAN and GST details
For an AIR of a foreign OEM
- All Indian entity documents above
- Notarised affidavit or MoU with the foreign OEM
- Authorisation letter from the foreign OEM
For the product
- Model details, datasheet and user manual
- Test report from a TEC-designated CAB against the applicable ER
- Labelling details as per TEC’s labelling guidelines
How it works
Check the product is notified
We match your product with TEC’s notified list, its Essential Requirement and its GCS or SCS category. If it is not notified, MTCTE does not apply yet. Picture a Faridabad assembler adding a fibre broadband unit to its range: that one product line may be notified even if the rest of its catalogue is not.
Register on the MTCTE portal
We create the OEM or AIR account on mtcte.tec.gov.in and upload entity documents. TEC approves the company account before any product application can be filed.
Get the product tested
The product goes to a Conformity Assessment Body designated by TEC. The lab tests it against the applicable ER and issues the test report. In practice, this is the longest step, so book a slot early.
File the application and pay the fee
We file the certification application with the test report and product documents, and pay the TEC fee for the product’s category online.
Answer queries and receive the certificate
We respond to TEC’s observations on the portal. Once granted, the certificate is downloaded and the product is labelled as TEC specifies.
Timelines
Before sale, import or use
A notified product needs its certificate before it is sold, imported or put into a network. Here is the catch: a tender closing next month will not wait for a lab queue, so start early.
Phase-wise mandatory dates
Products are notified in phases. Phases III and IV became mandatory from 1 July 2023 after a one-year extension, and Phase V products were also mandatory from 1 July 2023.
Ten-year validity
A regular MTCTE certificate now runs for ten years. Diarise renewal well before expiry, along with any change in the ER that applies to your product.
What happens if you sell without it
The product cannot be sold
Notified equipment without a Certificate of Conformity Assessment cannot be sold or used in India under the 2025 Rules.
Networks switch it off
Under rule 10, a licensee gives written notice and, if non-compliant equipment stays in use beyond seven days, suspends the telecom service.
Legal action can follow
Those who ignore notified standards or certification can face proceedings, on top of the loss from stock they cannot sell.
Frequently asked questions
Is TEC certification the same as MTCTE?
Yes, “TEC certification” in everyday use means the certificate issued under Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE). TEC, the technical wing of DoT, runs the scheme through the MTCTE portal. Under the 2025 Rules the formal name of the document is a Certificate of Conformity Assessment. Whatever your buyer calls it, the process and portal are the same.
Is MTCTE still under the Indian Telegraph Rules?
No, Part XI (rules 528 to 537) of the Indian Telegraph Rules was replaced on 16 May 2025. The Telecommunications (Framework to Notify Standards, Conformity Assessment and Certification) Rules, 2025, G.S.R. 315(E), now govern it under section 19 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023. Standards issued earlier continue to apply until replaced. Filing still happens on the MTCTE portal.
What is the difference between GCS and SCS?
They are the two certification schemes under MTCTE, and TEC decides which applies to each notified product. The General Certification Scheme (GCS) and the Simplified Certification Scheme (SCS) differ in evaluation procedure and fee under TEC’s MTCTE procedure. TEC re-categorised products into GCS and SCS and reduced fees for ER-based applications from 1 January 2024. We confirm your product’s category before you spend on testing.
How long is an MTCTE certificate valid?
A regular MTCTE certificate is now valid for ten years, up from five. Both TEC’s MTCTE page and DoT’s e-services page show the ten-year term. Renewal follows the procedure TEC specifies. If the Essential Requirement for your product changes during that period, check whether a fresh test is needed. We keep a renewal reminder on file for you.
Can a foreign manufacturer apply on its own?
No, a foreign OEM applies through an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR). The AIR files a notarised affidavit or MoU with the foreign OEM, plus the OEM’s authorisation letter, along with its own registration documents. An overseas maker of network switches, say, can name its Indian subsidiary as AIR; setting one up as a private limited company is common. We can handle both steps.
Can test reports from labs abroad be used?
Partly, yes. Rule 6 of the 2025 Rules lets the authority recognise labs in India and labs abroad accredited under ILAC as Conformity Assessment Bodies. TEC also issued a notice on acceptance of ILAC test reports under MTCTE on 30 June 2026. The notice sets the conditions, so check them for your product before relying on a foreign report. We review your existing reports against it.
Which equipment is exempt from MTCTE?
Rule 9 of the 2025 Rules exempts equipment imported for research and development, demonstration or testing, and equipment a person brings into India for personal use. TEC also issues exemptions for specific ER parameters; several were notified in February and July 2026. We check your case against the current notices before you ship.
Do I also need WPC or BIS approval?
Possibly; each approval covers a different area. MTCTE covers telecom performance and interfaces, WPC’s Equipment Type Approval covers the radio side of wireless products, and BIS registration covers safety of notified electronics. A Wi-Fi router, for example, may need more than one. Importers will also need an Import Export Code. We map every approval for your product at the start.
What does Taxhint do, and what does the lab do?
The TEC-designated lab tests the product and issues the test report; TEC evaluates and grants the certificate. We handle the paperwork: checking the notified list and category, setting up your MTCTE account, preparing AIR and entity documents, filing the application, paying fees and answering TEC queries. You get one team managing the file from first check to certificate.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
TEC’s certification fee depends on whether your product falls under GCS or SCS. Lab testing charges are billed separately by the designated CAB.
Ready to begin?
Send us your product’s model and datasheet, and we will confirm whether MTCTE applies and plan the filing.