The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI wants the draft proposal on the mandatory testing of telecom products revoked as it fears the policy will cripple the sector.

Apart from creating disruptions, the mandatory local screening will also increase the cost of telecom services and hurt end consumers, the body said in a letter to the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC).

“...The proposed draft guidelines for ‘Mandatory Testing’ of telecom equipment is surely going to cripple the entire telecom ecosystem, which is already debt ridden, overburdened with regulatory and policy interventions, and multiple government and sectoral compliances, including various other testing requirements,” the COAI said in the letter.

The letter, signed by COAI Director-General Rajan S Mathews, also states that the move comes at a time when the industry is moving towards a optimistic business climate with uniformly improving business conditions across the country.

COAI also alleged that the proposed testing by TEC is a technical barrier to trade and not in sync with the Centre’s objective on improving ease of business.

Adding such conformity assessments (testing, inspection and certification) will increase the cost of technical and regulatory barriers to trade, restricting market access.

Last week, Assocham had also sought dropping the proposal of mandatory testing of telecom equipment.

The DoT had proposed mandatory testing of network equipment to allay fears of cyber espionage.

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