On 11 July 2024, the Communications and Multimedia Commission of Malaysia (MCMC) announced that the interim type approval for IPv6 cellular devices (excluding devices with WiFi interface or IPv6 devices using other media (e.g. fibre, Ethernet LAN) has been extended for another year, effective from 10 July 2024, until further notice. This means that new Certificate of Conformity (CoC) applications and renewals are allowed, with a maximum validity period of one year.

During this provisional approval period, the applicant may take the required tests at any accredited or approved laboratory and submit a test report for evaluation by SIRIM. If IPv6 on the cellular interface or other media fully meets the technical requirements, it will be formally approved.

Click this link to view the original MCMC announcement.

The public consultation conducted on April 25, 2024 ended on June 25, 2024, and on July 8, 2024, the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam again solicited comments on the draft QCVN 134:2024/BTTTT technical regulation and the draft corresponding regulatory announcement. The draft technical regulations specify limits and methods for measuring the specific absorption rate (SAR) of mobile phones. The regulations will apply to entities engaged in the manufacture, import, trade and operation of mobile phones in Vietnam. Technical regulations ensure that products meet safety requirements and specify SAR test procedures, including rapid SAR test methods.

The notice will come into force on July 1, 2025 and will be mandatory on July 1, 2026.

Click on this link to view the original MIC public consultation.

Following the hearing held on May 23, 2024 and the issuance of the draft memorandum, on July 5, 2024, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) of the Philippines issued Memorandum Notice No. 002-07-2024, which amends the operating parameters of HIPERLAN and RLAN short-range equipment (SRDs) in Section 2 of Memorandum Notice 03-05-2007. The notice will take effect on July 20.

Click this link to view the original memorandum announcement.

On July 5, 2024, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to promote the integrity and security of certification programs for telecommunications certification bodies, measurement facilities, and equipment authorization. The proposed rule is essentially the same as FCC 24-58 document issued by the FCC on May 24.

Click this link to view the original proposed rule, the comment period is valid until 3 September 2024.

On July 2, 2024, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Côte d'Ivoire (ARTCI) issued a press release announcing the recent detection of a forged telecommunications certificate. In response to this finding, ARTCI reminded stakeholders that device certification must be carried out in strict accordance with Decree No. 2013-301 issued on 2 May 2013, noting that any forgery of certificates is considered a serious violation under existing laws and regulations. ARTCI has made it clear that it will take the necessary steps to identify and hold accountable those responsible for such violations. Authenticated devices can be queried through the ARTCI official website.

Click on this link to view the original news.

On July 1, 2024, the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) of India issued a notice extending the mandatory certification date for 5 categories of products (ERs) below MTCTE Phase III, Phase IV and Phase V to October 1, 2024: Smart Meters (Phase III), Satellite Communication Equipment (Phase IV), 5G Cellular Base Stations (Phase V), Hipervisor (Phase V), IP Terminals (Phase V). In addition, the final acceptance date of test reports issued by signatories to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) for non-land-bordering countries will be extended to September 30, 2024 for 5 types of products: 4G and below base stations, 5G base stations, SIM, VHF/UHF wireless equipment and E-band fixed wireless relay systems.

Click this link to view the original announcement.

On July 1, 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) of Viet Nam issued Decision No. 1725QD-BCT on the new list of energy-saving products in Vietnam. This decision replaces Appendix 3 of Decision No. 1182/QĐ-BCT dated 20 May 2019 on the publication of the list of goods subject to MOIT for special inspection. The goods specified in the list include some ICT equipment, such as laptops, PCs, printers, computer monitors, each of which has its own energy efficiency standard and HS code:

• TCVN 11848:2017, TCVN 11848:2021 for notebook computers (including notebooks and slim notebooks) (HS code 8471.30.20);
• TCVN 13371:2021 for desktop computers (HS codes 8471.41.10, 8471.41.90);
• TCVN 9509:2012 for printers (HS codes 8443.31.11, 8443.31.19, 8443.31.21, 8443.31.29, 8443.31.31, 8443.31.39, 8443.31.91, 8443.31.99);
• TCVN 9508:2012 applies to computer monitors - liquid crystal devices (LCDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and other flat panel display types (HS code 8528.72.92).

Please note that the list also includes products that must apply for type approval and DoC from the Ministry of Communications of Vietnam (MIC) and DoC (see Circular Letter MIC 02/2024/TT-BTTTT), such as desktop computers (HS code 8471.41.10) and laptops (HS code 8471.30.20), so manufacturers need to be aware of the relevant requirements for both MOIT and MIC.

Click this link to view the original text of Decision 1725QD-BCT.

On June 29, 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation (Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China) issued the Announcement of Chinese National Standards No. 14 of 2024. 109 national standards and 4 national standard modification orders were approved.

Among them, the No. 1 amendment to the China RoHS standard GB/T 26572-2011 "Limit Requirements for Restricted Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products" includes four phthalates, namely di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and bis(2-ethyl)hexyl phthalate (DEHP), into the standard control, and the number of restricted substances in GB/T 26572-2011 has increased to ten. This requirement will be officially implemented on January 1, 2026.

On June 28, 2024, PTCRB released NAPRD03 V6.17. In terms of frequency bands, the following NR CA frequency bands were mainly added: CA_n26A-n66(2A)-n70A, CA_n66(2A)-n70A-n71A, and CA_n66A-n70A-n71(2A).

On June 26, 2024, the Board of Directors of the National Telecommunications Commission of Paraguay (CONATEL) adopted a resolution amending the National Frequency Allocation Plan (PNAF). The resolution was officially published on CONATEL's website in early July. Resolves to allocate the frequency band 3300-3700 MHz to mobile communication services. PNAF is divided into 8 sub-bands from A to H for the 3300-3700 MHz frequency band, each with 50 MHz.

Click this link to view the original resolution.