DoT again pushes back deadline on network gear testing by April 2017

The Department of Telecom has once again extended compliance of the clause mandating testing of network equipment by one year to April 1, 2017.

"Approval of the authority on extension of requirement of security certification of telecom equipment only from authorised and certified agencies/labs within India has been received for 12 months from April 1, 2016, to April 1, 2017," DoT said in a letter to telecom service providers.

To allay fears of cyber espionage, DoT in 2011 had amended licence which made telecom operators install only those equipment in their network that are safe and certified by international reputed agencies until March 31, 2013.

Earlier, DoT set April 1, 2013 as the cut-off from when mandatory certificate was required from authorised and certified agencies within India. But failure to set up a lab that could test security in high-end equipment led to DoT extending the date by three years to April 1, 2016.

According to sources, the issue of setting up a full-fledged testing lab has not yet been resolved, hence the extension.