New TEC Test Standards Issued for Telecom Power Systems, Racks, and Electronic Locator Equipment

Background and Context

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), which functions under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has introduced a number of new and revised testing standards for telecom equipment in 2026. These changes have come as part of the Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE) framework. These amendments ensure that all telecom products available in the Indian marketplace adhere to required safety, quality and performance standards.

• TEC 73070:2025-  Electronic Locator Systems
• TEC 48141:2025-  Server Test Guide
• Revised test guide for Outdoor Weatherproof Racks-  covering environmental, mechanical, and electrical performance testing

Revised standards for Unified Threat Management (UTM) Equipment

• Revised standards for telecom power systems-  including DC power plants, rectifiers, battery backup systems, solar-powered telecom power systems, and associated power distribution equipment
• CGNAT (Carrier Grade Network Address Translation) and Load Balancer standards notified April 2026 with a 90-day transition window

These cover what is essentially the physical infrastructure backbone of Indian telecom networks the power systems that keep towers and data centers alive, the racks and enclosures that house critical equipment in outdoor and indoor installations, and the locator systems used to manage physical infrastructure and utility networks.

All these updated TEC standards operate within the MTCTE regime which under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the earlier Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 makes testing and certification mandatory before any telecom equipment is sold, imported or deployed in India.