On April 8, 2024, the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC) of Colombia published Circular No. 155 of 2024 on its official website, updating the technical standards for the certification of telecommunications terminal equipment in Colombia. This Circular replaces Circular No. 132 issued in 2020.

The recent spectrum auction conducted by the Colombian Ministry of Technology and Communications (MinTIC) has resulted in the spectrum being awarded to several telecom operators, including new frequency bands. To this end, the CRC has developed technical standards for compliance with telecommunication terminal equipment, covering mobile terminals, fixed telephones and satellite phones. Since the frequency bands allocated to mobile services in Colombia include both Band 2/4/5 for North America and Band 7/28/38 for Europe and the list of recognized standards includes FCC Part 22, 24 and 27 as well as the ETSI EN 301 908 series of standards. The CRC also clarified the requirements for EMC and SAR in the same document, with the EMC standard only applicable to Band 7/28/38.

Click this link to view the original circular, which will take effect from the date of publication.

On April 4, 2024, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released draft KDB update for U-NII 6 GHz devices for VLP devices that are already permitted. This update involves the following KDBs:

• KDB 987594 D01: "987594 D01 U-NII 6 GHz General Requirement v03" replaces the previous v02r02;
• KDB 987594 D02: "987594 D02 U-NII 6 GHz EMC Survey v03" replaces the previous v02r01;
• KDB 987594 D03: "987594 D03 U-NII 6 GHz QA v03" replaces the previous v02;
• KDB 987594 D04: "987594 D04 UN6GHz PAG Inventory v03" replaces previous v02.

Click on this link to view the original KDB update.

On 4 April 2024, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) launched a public consultation on the auction of spectrum in the bands 37-37.5 GHz, 37.5-40 GHz and 42.5-43.5 GHz identified by International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT).

Click on this link to view the original consultation. The public consultation is open for comments until 2 May 2024.

The Telecommunications Engineering Centre of India (TEC) published the TEC 93009:2024 Mandatory Test and Certification Procedure for Telecommunications Equipment (MTCTE) Version 3.0 on 3 April 2024. This new release includes the following major updates:

• The validity of regular MTCTE certificates has been extended from 5 to 10 years;
• Revised MTCTE TEC labeling requirements;
• For government agencies, the certification fee is waived, and the test report evaluation fee is cancelled;
• Updated definitions for fiber optic cable series and related models;
• Update the report upload requirements in the SCS scheme;
• Safety requirements under MTCTE may be accepted with a valid certificate issued by BIS or a test report from a BIS accredited laboratory;
• MTCTE can accept Certificate of Approval of Source (SAC);
• Clarified the definition of end-of-life/end-of-sale of a replacement product under the complete warranty;
• CAB test reports specifying the General Requirements (GR)/Interface Requirements (IR) for ER parameters under MTCTE will be accepted
• The relevant requirements of ITSAR were announced.

Click this link to view the original article of TEC 93009:2024.

Based on the results of Public Consultation No. 002-2021, the National Public Service Administration (ASEP) of Panama issued an announcement numbered AN No. 19090-Telco on April 1, 2024 allocating the following spectrum for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) for personal communication services and cellular mobile phone services:

• 1427 to 1518 MHz for n50;
• 2300 – 2385 MHz, can be used for n40;
• 24.25 – 27.5 GHz, can be used for n258.

Subsequent ASEPs will provide a transition period of 12 to 24 months for franchisees that have already allocated frequencies in these bands to migrate services to other bands.

Click this link to view the original AN No.19090-Telco announcement.

On 1 April 2024, the Indian Telecommunication Engineering Center (TEC) issued a notice numbered 5-2/2021-TC/TEC/192 to postpone the mandatory implementation date of some products in Phase III and Phase IV to August 1, 2024, as follows:

• The mandatory date for cellular communication base stations and smart meters for Phase-III has been postponed to August 1, 2024, and the mandatory date for SIM, mobile radio trunking system, VHF/UHF wireless system equipment, PTP PMP microwave fixed wireless system, LAN switch, router, IP security equipment, and satellite communication equipment for Phase-IV has been postponed to August 1, 2024
• For cellular base stations, SIM, VHF/UHF wireless system equipment, and satellite communication equipment, TEC can accept reports issued by ILAC authorized laboratories in non-land bordering countries with India between March 31, 2024 and July 31, 2024.

Click this link to view the original TEC notice.

On March 29, 2024, the Ministry of Communications and Media (MIC) of Vietnam issued Circular No. 02/2024/TT-BTTTT to publish the list of ICT equipment that must be certified (CoC) and declared qualified (SDoC), which will take effect on May 15, 2024:

• Certificates of Conformity issued between 15 July 2023 and 14 May 2024 will continue to be valid until the expiration date. However, from July 1, 2025, in addition to the criteria that have already been certified for conformity, products must be additionally certified and declared conformity according to the criteria in Circular No. 02/2024/TT-BTTTT;
• Testing of most products (except wireless access points) under extreme conditions will continue to be discontinued until June 30, 2025. Vietnam's MIC is recently reviewing the QCVN standard, including testing under extreme conditions, for subsequent republication;
• Imported laptops, tablets and PCs and other specific types of goods for self-use will be exempted from certification of conformity and declaration of conformity if there are no more than 3 items per batch;
• Until May 15, 2024, manufacturers and importers can choose the original Circular 04/2023/TT-BTTTT and Circular 10/2023/TT-BTTTT or make a declaration of conformity, a certificate of conformity in accordance with the Circular, or the new Circular 04/2024/TT-BTTTT;
• New standards QCVN 117:2023/BTTTT, QCVN 55:2023/BTTTT, QCVN 110:2023/BTTTT, QCVN 111:2023/BTTTT are enabled.

Regulation for some commonly used standards and devices:

• QCVN 117:2023/BTTTT: Mobile phones must support E-UTRA technology and VoLTE functions, and bands defined in the standard are B1, B3, B5, B8, B28, B40, B41;
• QCVN 127:2021/BTTTT: 5G mobile phones need to support both SA mode and NSA mode, and bands defined in the standard are n1, n3, n5, n8, n28, n40, n41, n77, n78, and n258;
• QCVN 55:2023/BTTTT applies to SRD devices operating in the 9 kHz to 25 MHz frequency range and inductive loop systems operating in the 9 kHz to 30 MHz frequency range: the implementation date is May 15, 2024, which will be earlier than the effective date of the standard (July 1, 2024), and wireless chargers do not need to be tested in accordance with QCVN 55:2023/BTTTT;
• NB-IoT devices do not need to be tested for total radiated power (TRP) and total receiver sensitivity (TRS) in accordance with QCVN 131:2022/BTTTT;
• Non-mobile phone terminal products will no longer be allowed to support only 2G and 3G, and the validity period of the original certificate will not exceed June 30, 2024;
• Devices with Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 capabilities (bands 5925-7125 MHz) can only claim compliance if the manufacturer has made a written commitment to turn off the 6 GHz band and the user is unable to activate the band on their own.

Click this link to view the original text of Circular No. 02/2024/TT-BTTTT.

On March 28, 2024, the Indian Telecommunications Engineering Centre (TEC) issued a notice numbered 1-6/2022-TC/TEC extending the mandatory security testing period for Wi-Fi CPE and IP routers under the MTCTE certification scheme from April 1, 2024 to July 1, 2024.

Click this link to view the original TEC notice.

On March 27, 2024, the Directorate General of Postal and Information Resources and Equipment (SDPPI) of Indonesia issued a regulation numbered NOMOR 109 TAHUN 2024, replacing NOMOR 11 TAHUN 2021 issued in November 2021.

The new regulation updates the list of HKT (mobile phone/PDA/tablet) and non-HKT (other products) authorized laboratories, as well as the following updates:

• Overseas laboratories accredited by SDPPI are required to test telecommunication equipment in accordance with Indonesian national standards or other technical standards valid in Indonesia, with a summary of the results report page;
• The release date of the test report will no longer be limited, but the date of release of the test report for HKT products shall not exceed 5 years from the date of submission of the application
• The test site and laboratory scope must comply with this regulation, and the test report is not allowed at the on-site test site;
• Laser safety is not covered by this regulation, so the laser safety test report must be carried out in a laboratory in Indonesia;
• Regardless of the date of issue, a digital signature is required for all overseas test reports.

A number of laboratory locations of CTTL-T in Beijing are licensed by both HKT and non-HKT.

Click on this link to view the original NOMOR 109 TAHUN 2024 regulation.

On March 22, 2024, Serbia published the official gazette RS 24/2024 in which the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications (MIT) updated the regulations on radio equipment. The regulations set out the requirements for radio equipment, including the class of radio equipment, compliance with radio equipment and software combinations, registration, conformity assessment, and equipment use. The regulation applies to radio equipment, with the exception of the following: radio equipment for use by radio amateurs, marine equipment, aviation equipment, customized evaluation kits for research and development, radio equipment specifically intended for activities related to state activities in the field of public safety, national defense, national security and criminal investigation.

Article 31 of the Regulation restates that manufacturers should use the Serbian Conformity Mark before Serbia signs the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance (ACAA) with the EU or accedes to the EU, and after the above-mentioned date, the CE mark.

Annex 11 of the regulation sets out the requirements for common chargers, which are in line with the requirements for common charger in the European Union. The radio equipment must be compatible with a USB-C charger, and the consumer must have the option to purchase a radio with or without a charger.

The new regulations came into effect on March 30, 2024, and will be implemented from June 1, 2024. However, the requirements for personal information and privacy protection, fraud prevention, emergency services, and accessibility will be implemented on August 1, 2025, which is consistent with CE certification, and the implementation date of the requirements for common chargers will also be consistent with CE certification.

Click on this link to view the official gazette for 24/2024.