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India TEC Opens Public Consultation on SDWAN and Trunk Media Gateway Standards

  • 19 hours ago
  • 4 min read

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), the technical arm of India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications, has launched two new public consultations targeting key telecommunications equipment categories: Software Defined Wide Area Network (SDWAN) systems and Trunk Media Gateways (TMG). Stakeholders across the global telecom manufacturing and certification exosystem are invited to review the draft documents and submit comments before the deadlines.


These consultations are part of TEC's ongoing work to formulate Generic Requirements (GR), Interface Requirements (IR), and Test Guides that underpin India's Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecommunication Equipment (MTCTE) framework — a regulatory scheme that prohibits the sale, import, or deployment of notified telecom equipment in India without a valid Certificate of Conformity Assessment.


Consultation 1: Draft Test Guide for SDWAN (TEC 49161:2026)


The first consultation concerns the Draft Test Guide No. TEC 49161:2026 on Generic Requirements (GR) for Software Defined Wide Area Network. This Test Guide will define the testing methodology, procedures, and conformance criteria used to evaluate SDWAN equipment against TEC's Generic Requirements.

SDWAN technology has become a cornerstone of enterprise networking in India, enabling organizations to virtualize WAN connectivity, intelligently route traffic across MPLS, broadband, and LTE links, and integrate security functions at the network edge. With Indian enterprises rapidly migrating to cloud-first architectures, formalizing the test framework for SDWAN devices is a critical step toward ensuring interoperability, network performance, and security on the country's telecom networks.


Consultation 2: Interface Requirements for Trunk Media Gateway (TEC 59062:2023)


The second consultation covers the Interface Requirements (IR) for Trunk Media Gateway, TEC 59062:2023. A Trunk Media Gateway (TMG) sits at the boundary between legacy TDM networks and modern IP-based packet networks, converting voice, fax, and voice-band data between formats to enable interconnection among Telecom Service Providers.

The TMG standard complements TEC's existing Generic Requirements for Trunk Media Gateways (the earlier TEC 59060 series) by formalizing the interface specifications that vendors must meet to ensure seamless interconnection in India's mixed legacy-IP telecom environment.


What This Means for Manufacturers


For Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Authorised Indian Representatives (AIRs), importers, and dealers handling SDWAN devices or Trunk Media Gateways destined for the Indian market, these consultations are far more than a procedural notice — they are a direct opportunity to influence the technical and testing requirements that will eventually govern their products.

Key implications for the manufacturer community include:


  • Market access risk: Both SDWAN equipment and Trunk Media Gateways fall within categories of telecom equipment that may require MTCTE certification before sale, import, or deployment in India. Once these documents are finalized, non-compliant products may be barred from the Indian telecom network.


  • Design-cycle planning: Vendors should review the draft Test Guide and Interface Requirements against their current product roadmaps and identify any test parameters, interfaces, or features that could create gaps at the certification stage.


  • Cost and time-to-market: Early engagement with TEC reduces the risk of late-stage redesigns, retesting, and delays in obtaining the Certificate of Conformity Assessment from TEC-designated Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs).


  • Strategic positioning: Submitting well-reasoned, technically substantiated comments allows manufacturers to flag impractical, ambiguous, or outdated test parameters — helping to shape a regulatory framework that is both rigorous and commercially workable.


TEC India infographic announcing a public consultation on SDWAN Systems and Trunk Media Gateway standards, including draft guides, telecom framework updates, stakeholder engagement details, and comment deadlines in June and July 2026.

Certification Impact Summary


Aspect

Impact

Regulatory framework

MTCTE scheme under the Telecommunications (Framework to Notify Standards, Conformity Assessment and Certification) Rules, 2025

Authority

Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India

Equipment categories affected

SDWAN equipment (routers, virtual appliances) and Trunk Media Gateways used in Indian telecom networks

Certification requirement

Once notified under MTCTE, equipment cannot be sold, imported, or deployed in India without a TEC Certificate of Conformity Assessment

Validity of MTCTE certificate

Five years, renewable

Testing labs

TEC-designated Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) accredited under ISO/IEC 17025

Labeling

TEC certification label must be affixed on certified equipment

Additional obligations

Equipment used in licensed telecom service provider networks may face additional tests as specified in their license


Timeline and Required Actions

Date

Milestone

Action Required

Now – Jun 23, 2026

SDWAN Draft Test Guide TEC 49161:2026 open for comments

Review draft, prepare technical comments using TEC's comment template, submit via email to TEC nodal officers

Now – Jul 3, 2026

Trunk Media Gateway IR TEC 59062:2023 open for comments

Review IR document, evaluate interface compatibility with current product portfolio, submit comments

Post-deadline (2026)

TEC reviews stakeholder inputs and finalizes documents

Monitor TEC consultations page for the published final version

Following notification under MTCTE

Notified products move into mandatory certification scope

Initiate MTCTE application via the MTCTE Portal, engage a TEC-designated CAB for testing

Before mandatory date

Certification deadline announced by TEC for each phase

Obtain TEC Certificate of Conformity Assessment and affix the TEC certification label before placing products on the Indian market


Recommended Next Steps for Stakeholders


  1. Download both draft documents from the TEC consultations portal.

  2. Map your current SDWAN and/or TMG product specifications against the draft Test Guide and Interface Requirements.

  3. Identify gaps in features, interfaces, or test capabilities that could affect certification.

  4. Prepare and submit comments using the TEC comment template within the respective deadlines (June 23, 2026 for SDWAN; July 3, 2026 for TMG).

  5. Engage a TEC-designated Conformity Assessment Body early to plan testing capacity and lead times.

  6. Monitor the TEC website and the MTCTE Portal for the final published versions and any subsequent MTCTE phase notifications.



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