Caught between security concerns and industry pushback, the government again delays mandatory testing of broadband equipment, extending the voluntary regime for ONTs and OLTs until December 2025.
The Department of Telecom’s (DoT) National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS) has postponed mandatory security certification for optical fibre broadband equipment for the third time, extending the deadline until 31 December 2025.
According to the notification issued on 29 August, Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) and Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) will remain under the Voluntary Security Certification (VSC) regime until the end of next year.
Fees for security evaluation will be waived during this period. Mandatory certification under the Communication Security Certification Scheme (ComSec) will apply from 1 January 2026.
ONTs are devices installed at customer premises, such as modems and Wi-Fi routers, while OLTs are used by operators to transmit broadband signals across networks.
Industry body Voice of Indian Communication Technology Enterprises (VoICE), representing domestic telecom gear makers, criticised the decision, alleging that repeated deferments were linked to reluctance from foreign vendors to undergo testing.
Director-General R.K. Bhatnagar said the extension ‘keeps the door open for foreign players’ and disadvantages Indian companies that are already compliance-ready.
DoT has denied the allegation. A spokesperson said the move was aimed at simplifying the certification process for startups and MSMEs. Product grouping has been a challenge, with software customisation creating multiple device versions, making testing costly and complex. The extension, officials said, will allow wider adoption of certification by equipment makers.
The National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS) has also addressed concerns about intellectual property. It clarified that companies may bring their source code on secure media for testing, with no copying, manual review, or retention of data, to prevent leakage fears raised by foreign vendors.
This marks the third extension since December 2024. The voluntary regime initially ran until March 2025, then August 2025, and will now continue until December 2025.
