Tunisia CERT Adds In-House Wi-Fi 7 Certification Testing

Tunisia's CERT Expands In-House Wi-Fi Certification Testing with New Anritsu Wi-Fi 7 Platform

Tunisia's national telecommunications testing authority has significantly strengthened its conformity testing capabilities. The Centre d'Études et de Recherche des Télécommunications (CERT) has equipped its laboratory with a new multi-technology wireless test platform supplied by Anritsu EMEA, deployed in partnership with Anritsu's authorized local partner, Prisma International.

The upgrade gives CERT the in house ability to validate wireless devices across the full connectivity spectrum, from legacy 2G through 5G New Radio, IoT protocols, and WLAN standards up to and including Wi-Fi 7.

For manufacturers, importers, and regulatory affairs teams pursuing market access in Tunisia, the development is a meaningful signal: CERT can now perform a broader range of WLAN conformity testing locally, including the newest Wi-Fi generations.

Regulatory context: who CERT is and what it certifies

CERT is a public body operating under the supervision of Tunisia's Ministry of Communication Technologies. Established in 1988 and operational since 1991, it serves as the country's official conformity assessment and type approval authority for telecommunications and radio equipment. All radio and telecommunications terminal equipment must obtain CERT type approval before it can be legally imported, sold, or placed on the market in Tunisia, and in-country sample testing is required for new approvals.

Beyond its national mandate, CERT holds ITU-recognized status as a regional reference laboratory for Africa, supporting other regulators on the continent through type approval training, advisory services, and regulatory best-practice programs.

Technical scope: a multi-technology platform up to Wi-Fi 7

The new installation consolidates several Anritsu instruments into a single conformity-testing environment:

• Anritsu MT8862A Wireless Connectivity Test Set — provides WLAN test coverage spanning IEEE 802.11a/b/g through Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be).

• Anritsu MT8000A Radio Communication Test Station — enables 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) and Standalone (SA) device testing in FR1.

• Anritsu MT8821C Radio Communication Analyzer — supports multi-technology cellular validation.

  
  

Together, the three platforms allow CERT to perform conformity testing across cellular standards (GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WCDMA/HSPA, LTE FDD/TDD, 5G NR FR1), IoT technologies (LTE-M and NB-IoT), and WLAN standards (Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7).

Why CERT Tunisia Wi-Fi certification testing matters now

The rapid evolution of wireless technology the 4G-to-5G transition, the expansion of IoT, and the adoption of the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, has increased the complexity of conformity assessment. By bringing modern WLAN testing in house, CERT can consolidate multiple wireless technologies into one test environment, streamline conformity procedures, and improve consistency across certification activities. This also aligns with Tunisia's December 2024 authorization of the 5925–6425 MHz band for RLAN (Wi-Fi) use.

What this means for manufacturers

For companies certifying wireless products for the Tunisian market, the practical implications are:

• Broader local test coverage. Devices using the latest WLAN standards, including Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 can now be assessed within CERT's own laboratory, reducing reliance on external arrangements for newer technologies.

• Continuity of existing requirements. Tunisia's conformity-assessment framework continues to follow EU-aligned procedures, and in-country sample testing remains required for new approvals. Manufacturers should still plan to provide a conducted-test sample setup (cables, adapters, and software to place the device into test modes).

• Potential for tighter WLAN scrutiny. With expanded in-house capability, manufacturers should ensure their WLAN test reports and device configurations are robust and reproducible, as CERT is now positioned to validate these characteristics directly.

• Verify any new mandatory step. Reports of a newly mandatory Wi-Fi connectivity test (and any specific effective date) could not be independently confirmed at the time of writing. Manufacturers and regulatory teams should confirm the current procedure directly with CERT or an in-country agent before relying on it.

  
  

Certification impact summary

Area	Before the deployment	After the deployment
WLAN test coverage	Limited / older standards locally	IEEE 802.11a/b/g through Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) in-house
Cellular coverage	Existing capability	2G–5G NR FR1 (NSA/SA) on consolidated platform
IoT coverage	Existing capability	LTE-M and NB-IoT validation supported
Type-approval requirement	Mandatory CERT approval before market entry	Unchanged — still mandatory
In-country sample testing	Required for new approvals	Unchanged — still required
Mandatory Wi-Fi connectivity test step	Not confirmed	Unverified — confirm with CERT

Timeline and required actions

Timeline

1. December 2024: Tunisia authorizes the 5925–6425 MHz band for RLAN (Wi-Fi 6E) use.

2. 5 May 2026: Anritsu announces deployment of the multi-technology wireless test platform (including the MT8862A) at CERT's laboratory.

3. Reported "June 1" mandatory-testing date: unverified; confirm directly with CERT before treating as effective.

   
   

Required actions for manufacturers and importers

1. Confirm current procedure. Contact CERT or your in-country representative to verify whether any new mandatory WLAN connectivity-test step applies and from what date.

2. Review WLAN documentation. Ensure Wi-Fi test reports cover the relevant standards (through Wi-Fi 7 where applicable) and are consistent with device configurations.

3. Prepare a compliant test sample. Provide a conducted-test sample setup with all cables, adapters, and software needed to place the device into test modes.

4. Plan lead time. Account for sample shipment, customs clearance, pre-testing, and the CERT testing appointment in your market-entry schedule.

5. Monitor for formal notices. Watch CERT's official channels for any published procedure update confirming the scope and effective date.

   
   

Market significance

CERT's expanded laboratory reinforces Tunisia's position as a credible certification hub not only for its domestic market but across Africa, given CERT's ITU regional reference role. For manufacturers, the message is that Tunisia is investing in keeping pace with next generation wireless standards, which should support more efficient, locally handled conformity assessment over time.