Essential Requirements

Essential Requirements

 

            Essential Requirements of an equipment are a set of requirements against which Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE) is done under MTCTE Procedure. Essential Requirements (ER) comprises of following requirements:

  • EMI/EMC
  • Safety
  • Technical requirements
  • Other requirements
  • Security Requirements: As per notification issued by DoT from  time to time.

   Essential Requirements shall be assigned specific numbers in accordance to numbering scheme enumerated in para 9.1 below. Consultation process of MATCOF (Mandatory testing Consultative Forum) shall be followed for formulation of new Essential Requirements.

          ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS (ER) NUMBERING SCHEME

The numbering scheme, for Essential Requirements prepared for Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment under MTCTE, is as follows:

                    ER Number- TECGPPPYYMM

where TEC denotes TEC organization

G refers to the Core Division in TEC responsible for preparation of Essential Requirement of the product.

               G- Codes given to Core Divisions

  1. Future Networks, Fixed Access Divisions
  2. Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Networks Division
  3. Information Technology Division
  4. Mobile Technology Division
  5. Radio Division
  6. Next Generation Switching Division
  7. Transmission Division

PPP refers to the code given to the particular product whose Essential Requirements has been prepared. PPP will be assigned by TC division or as per specific directions issued by them.

YY refers to the year in which Essential Requirements of the particular product was approved by Sr. DDG / Head of TEC.

MM (01-12) refers to the month in which Essential requirements of the particular product was approved by Sr. DDG/ Head of TEC.

       As an example: The ER Number for 2 Wire Telephone Equipment is TEC18351906 where 1 refers to Future Networks Division which has prepared the ER of this product, 835 is the code given to 2 Wire Telephone Equipment, 19 refers to year 2019 when ER was finalized and 06 refers to the month June which is the 6th Calendar month in which ER was approved.

          Mechanism for formulation of Essential Requirements (ERs)

Consultation through Mandatory Testing Consultative Forum (MATCOF) shall be adopted for discussion and obtaining feedback of stakeholders on draft Essential Requirement.

Mandatory Testing Consultative Forum (MATCOF)

  1. A separate Forum shall be constituted for each Division by Sr. DDG/ Head of TEC. The proposal for constitution of MATCOF for each Division shall be initiated by concerned Division. DDG of the concerned Division shall be the Chairperson and Director as Convener of the forum.
  2. The forum shall comprise representatives of Service Providers, Manufacturers, Labs and their Associations, if any.
  3. The forum may include DDG (s) from other TEC Divisions/RTECs and experts from R&D and Academia, depending upon the nature of the subjects dealt. DDG (Telecom Certification) and DDG (Standardization) shall be members of each Forum and presence of at least one of them in the meeting along-with one other member from RTEC i.e. DDG(NR) /DDG(ER)/(SR)/(DDG(WR) shall be mandatory.
  4. The formation of Forum shall be approved by Sr. DDG/Head of TEC.

          FORMULATION of ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS (ERs)

  1. A Standing Empowered Committee has been constituted in TEC in Dec 2017 consisting of DDG (TC), DDG (R) and DDG (TS) to address/decide the issues related to the implementation of MTCTE. The recommendation(s) of the Standing Committee shall be approved by Sr. DDG / Head of TEC.
  2. ERs are framed once TC (Telecom Certification) Division compiles information received from various sources viz. stakeholders, market surveillance etc. and deliberate in Standing Empowered Committee to decide whether to formulate a new ER or not. Requirement of new ER formulation is communicated by TC Division to concerned Division.
  3. Division may start the process of formulation of ER for Telecom equipment, not covered by any notified ER, after receipt of request from TC division for non-availability of ER for a Telecom Equipment.
  4. Initial Draft of ER shall be prepared by concerned Division using the online interface provided by TC division to concerned Divisions.
  5. The initial Draft is circulated electronically to members of MATCOF (Mandatory Testing Consultative Forum) for comments.
  6. The comments received shall be compiled and circulated via electronic mode to members of MATCOF along with notice for Meeting of MATCOF.
  7. Initial draft of ER and comments received shall be discussed in MATCOF.
  8.  After recording deliberations and decisions arrived in the meeting, along with the attendance of participants, the minutes are approved by DDG and circulated to the members.
  9. The responses, comments, suggestions, etc., sent by the participants are compiled.
  10. Holding of 2nd MATCOF: On the basis of complexity and variance of responses/comments, concerned Division may hold a 2nd MATCOF, if required for further discussion and deliberation on such issues.
  11. A draft ER is prepared after suitable consideration and incorporation of comments of stakeholders.
  12. After preparation of draft ER, incorporating suitably the comments of all the stakeholders, a portal version of the ER is generated, for maintaining uniformity of ERs across other Core Divisions of TEC on MTCTE portal and also keeping in view conformity to MTCTE scheme.
  13.  Any difficulty in generation of portal version of the ER or any conflicting issue with regard to parameters / Interfaces proposed in the ER should be resolved by TC Division or through the meeting of Standing Committee for finalization of ERs.
  14. The finalized portal version of the ER is approved by the Sr. DDG/ Head of TEC.
  15.  Approved copy of the ER is uploaded on MTCTE portal.
  16. Formulation of ER should normally be completed within 20 weeks after receipt of request / communication from TC division.

    MODIFICATION OF ER

          The concerned Division shall initiate modification(s) of ER, if required. In case of major/critical changes, MATCOF shall be conducted. The modification(s) shall be approved by Sr.DDG / Head of TEC. TC division shall upload the modified ER on MTCTE portal.

          WITHDRAWAL OF ER

There may be need to withdraw an ER due to supersession by a new ER, technology obsolescence, equipment not in use, or any other reason. On the advice of service provider(s)/other stakeholders, DoT, or TEC, ER shall be discussed in MATCOF either in a meeting or through circulation. It shall be withdrawn after recommendation of MATCOF and approval of Sr. DDG/Head of TEC.

          REVIEW OF ER

An ER document can be reviewed due to advancement in technology, service providers’/user organizations’ inputs, or on advice of DoT. TEC can suo-moto take-up review of ER document based on worldwide developments and trends in Telecommunications. Review of an ER document shall follow same steps as outlined for framing of an ER document. ER document remains valid unless it is withdrawn or revised.