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.

Implementation Dates and Key Deadlines

Why DoT and TEC Implemented These New Standards

The updated standards aim to improve the safety, reliability, and performance of India's rapidly expanding telecom infrastructure.

The Core Need

1. Ageing or Absent Standards for Critical Infrastructure Products

India’s telecom power systems, outdoor racks, and locator equipment had either no formalised TEC test standard or were governed by outdated standards written when the scale and technology of Indian telecom infrastructure were dramatically smaller. As India has grown to 1.2 billion + connections and is not rolling out 5G across hundreds of thousands of towers, the lack of modern standards for the power and physical infrastructure supporting this network became a serious risk.

2. Telecom Power Failures as a Major Reliability Risk

The telecom outages in India have been caused by poor power infrastructure, which is primarily due to power failure, inefficient DC power supply systems, faulty battery systems, and ineffective rectifier systems installed on towers. The telecom providers had no guidelines to follow to ensure these systems functioned efficiently under varying weather conditions and loads.

3. Electronic Locator Systems Unregulated Market Creating Safety Hazards

Electronic locators used to detect underground utilities (power cables, telecom cables, gas pipes, water mains) before excavation were previously sold and used in India with no formal test standard. This led to:

• Workers using inaccurate locators and accidentally striking live underground cables, causing fatalities and injuries
• Telecom operators and utilities losing significant cable infrastructure to accidental excavation damage
• High frequency of cable cuts is causing telecom outages in urban areas

TEC 73070:2025 is India's first formal test standard for electronic locator systems, filling this dangerous regulatory vacuum.

4. Server and Data Centre Infrastructure Standards

With the rapid expansion of telecom data centres and edge computing centres due to the introduction of 5G technology, the importance of the servers becomes much higher in the field of telecommunication systems. TEC 48141:2025 gives a systematic testing process that ensures that servers used in telecom systems conform to all requirements.

5. UTM and Network Security Equipment

As telecom networks carry increasingly sensitive government, financial, and personal data, Unified Threat Management (UTM) appliances  which provide firewall, intrusion detection, VPN and content filtering at network boundaries, require robust, standardized testing to ensure they deliver reliable protection against network threats rather than themselves becoming vulnerabilities.

6. The Telecommunications Act, 2023 Expanded Standards Authority

The new Act provided DoT with far greater powers to enforce technical standards and certification. The TEC is currently using its enhanced powers for regulating the previously in regulatory grey zones.

What the New Standards Actually Require 

Businesses must ensure that their products meet the updated TEC requirements covering performance, safety, environmental, and security parameters.

1. TEC 73070:2025  Electronic Locator Systems

This is India's first dedicated test standard for equipment used to detect buried utilities. Key requirements include:

Performance Requirements

• Minimum depth detection capability the locator must detect buried cables and pipes at specified depths across different soil types
• Signal frequency range coverage must support standard frequencies used by buried utility transmitters (512 Hz, 8 kHz, 33 kHz, etc.)
• Sensitivity and selectivity must distinguish the target cable from adjacent cables
• Depth accuracy  specified tolerance limits for depth measurement
• Current measurement accuracy for active cable detection

2. Environmental and Mechanical Tests

• IP (Ingress Protection) rating verification protection against dust and water ingress under Indian field conditions.
• Drop and vibration testing equipment must survive field handling.
• Operating temperature range testing must function across India's temperature extremes.
• Battery performance testing under temperature variation.

3. Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)

• Immunity to interference from power lines, mobile networks, and other field electromagnetic sources
• Emissions compliance to avoid interfering with other utility detection systems

4. Safety

• Electrical safety of the transmitter unit, including isolation from buried energized conductors
• Protection against accidental connection to live cables

Outdoor Weatherproof Rack Test Guide (Revised)

The revised test guide increases the testing criteria of outdoor telecom racks, ensuring that they are capable of handling the different environments and operating conditions present in India.

1. Environmental Testing

• Ingress protection testing (IP55 minimum, IP65 for coastal, and high-humidity areas).
• Salt mist and corrosion resistance testing for coastal deployments.
• Solar radiation, heat resistance and rain testing to simulate Indian climatic conditions.
• Sand and dust resistance testing for installations in arid regions.

2. Mechanical Testing

• Structural integrity testing under vibration and seismic conditions
• Durability testing of doors, hinges and locking mechanisms
• Verification of cable entry sealing effectiveness

3. Electrical Performance Testing

• Earthing and grounding integrity assessment
• EMC shielding effectiveness testing
• Thermal performance evaluation, including cooling and heat dissipation under peak load conditions.

Telecom Power Systems (DC Power Plants, Rectifiers, Battery Backup)

The revised requirements focus on ensuring that telecom power systems remain safe, reliable and efficient under India's varied operating and environmental conditions.

1. Performance and Reliability Requirements

• Stability test of DC output voltage at different loads
• Assessment of the efficiency at part-load and full load
• Test of battery management system, comprising charging, discharging and protection functions
• Verification of alarms, monitoring, overload and short-circuit protection functionalities.

2. Environmental Testing

• Performance assessment within defined temperature ranges
• Resistance to humidity and condensation
• Altitude testing for installations in high-altitude regions

3. Safety Requirements

• Electrical isolation and insulation resistance testing
• Protection against reverse polarity connections
• Battery overcharge, deep discharge and thermal runaway prevention measures.

TEC 48141:2025 Server Test Guide (Telecom Grade)

The test guide specifies performance and reliability criteria for telecom grade servers, which are required in telecom systems.

• Thermal performance test with continuous workload
• Reliability tests of hardware including vibration and shock tests
• Redundancy and failover capabilities test
• Testing of interface and protocol capabilities specific to telecommunication.
• Security test, including firmware, access control and auditing.

Impact on Indian Businesses

The revised TEC requirements may affect product testing, certification timelines, and market access for telecom equipment manufacturers and suppliers.

1. Telecom Power System Manufacturers

2. Outdoor Rack and Enclosure Manufacturers / Importers

3. Electronic Locator Equipment Manufacturers and Importers

4. Telecom Operators (Jio, Airtel, BSNL, VI, Sterlite)

5. Data Centre and Edge Computing Operators

6. Infrastructure and Utility Companies (ONGC, GAIL, NHAI, Power Grid, Railways, Water Utilities)

How Businesses Will Achieve Compliance

Businesses should proactively align their products and documentation with the updated TEC requirements.

Step-by-Step Compliance Pathway-

• Identify Applicable TEC Standards: Determine the relevant TEC test guide or Essential Requirement (ER) applicable to your product category.
• Conduct a Gap Assessment: Compare existing product specifications and test data with the latest TEC requirements to identify compliance gaps.
• Implement Necessary Changes: Update product design, safety features, performance parameters, or security controls wherever required.
• Get Products Tested: Submit the product to a TEC-designated testing laboratory along with the required technical documents.
• Apply Through the MTCTE Portal: File the certification application, upload supporting documents, and pay the prescribed fees.
• Respond to TEC Queries: Provide additional information or clarifications promptly if requested during the review process.
• Obtain MTCTE Certification: After successful evaluation, receive the Certificate of Conformity Assessment (CoCA) from TEC.
• Update Product Documentation: Display certification details on products and include the certificate number in relevant business documents.

Benefits for Businesses after Implementation

Implementing the updated TEC standards can provide businesses with both compliance advantages and long-term commercial benefits.

For Equipment Manufacturers and Importers

For Telecom Operators

For Infrastructure and Utility Owners

For India's Telecom Ecosystem

Is This the Right Decision or an Additional Burden?

While the revised requirements introduce additional compliance responsibilities, they also aim to strengthen product quality and reliability across the telecom sector.

1. Why This Is the Right Decision

2. Where It Can Feel Like a Burden

Balanced Verdict: The new TEC test guidelines for power systems, outdoor racks, and electronic locators should not be seen as over-regulation but instead should be seen as corrective regulation to solve the problems that have been plaguing India's telecom network. These guidelines specifically address some of the primary reasons for system failure: power problems, inadequate racks, and faulty locators. The certification will be valid for 10 years and also accepts ILAC reports.

How This Improves Quality, Consumer Satisfaction, and Security

By setting clearer performance and safety benchmarks the updated requirements can contribute to better service quality, and greater user confidence.

1. Infrastructure Quality Improvements

2. Consumer Satisfaction Impact

3. Corpseed MTCTE Compliance Advisory

4. Lab Coordination and Test Scheduling Services

• Coordinate testing between manufacturers and TEC-designated laboratories.
• Assist foreign manufacturers with ILAC report transition and supplementary Indian testing requirements.

5. BIS + TEC Compliance Services

• Offer integrated BIS ISI and TEC MTCTE compliance support for dual-regulated products such as outdoor racks and telecom power systems.

6. Training and Awareness Programs

• Conduct compliance training for infrastructure owners and telecom operators on updated TEC requirements and procurement practices.

7. Telecom Procurement Compliance Audits

• Assess existing equipment for MTCTE compliance status.
• Develop procurement frameworks and vendor qualification checklists aligned with TEC requirements.