Type Approval of Radio Telecommunication CPEs by Lab Testing in Nepal

210 Pages·2014·3.73 MB·English

Consultation Paper No. 1/2014

CONSULTATION PAPER
on

Type Approval of Radio Telecommunication CPEs
by Lab Testing in Nepal

Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Tripureshwor, Kathmandu

January, 2014
Preface

Type approval testing provides independent verification that equipment will perform
adequately within mandatory requirements related to network harm, interference and
safety issues. Type approval is granted to a product that meets a minimum set of
regulatory, technical and safety requirements. NTA has prepared the report on
feasibility study of type approval by lab testing in Nepal. It has included national
status and international trends and practices to determine the modalities,
infrastructures needed, necessary manpower, legal framework and costing for
establishment of laboratory for type approval.

NTA has issued this consultation paper to request concerned stakeholders, experts,
researchers and any other interested parties to send their comments/ suggestions or
inputs either in electronic form or in written form on the various issues raised in
consultation paper within two months from the date of the publication of this
consultation paper. The comments and inputs provided by the stakeholders will
enable the Authority in order to take appropriate decision. The consultation paper
shall be available on NTA's website (www.nta.gov.np). In case any further
clarification or information is needed, please write to [email protected] or contact Mr.
Min Prasad Aryal, Deputy Director, NTA (Email: [email protected], Tel: 977-1-
4101030) or Mr. Hiranya Prasad Bastakoti, Assistant Director, NTA (Email:
[email protected], Tel: [phone]) or Mr. Binod Chandra Shrestha,
Assistant Director, NTA (Email: [email protected], Tel: [phone])
Ananda Raj Khanal
Director (Technical)/ Officiating Chief of Office
Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Bluestar Office Complex, Tripureshwor, Kathmandu
January, 2014

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Executive Summary

The rational for study on Type Approval of Radio Telecommunication CPEs by Lab
Testing in Nepal, legislative right and provision to formulate and implement the
standard, Key Parameters to be Tested and Analyzed in the Lab, international
standard, practices and procedures about Type Approval, and Potential Assessment
regarding the Test Lab in Nepal, Sample case Analysis for Test Report, Requirement
Identification of technical infrastructure for the Testing Lab, Feasibility Study to Set-
Up of testing lab in Nepal in the perspective of Financial and Technical Aspect are
the main paradigm of this report.

Type approval testing provides independent verification that equipment will perform
adequately within mandatory requirements related to network harm, interference and
safety issues. Type approval is granted to a product that meets a minimum set of
regulatory, technical and safety requirements. A type approval system with well
published requirements promotes transparency in market access and assures and
maintains the confidence of suppliers, importers, end users and new technology
developers.

In Nepal, there are no technical standards or requirements especially for the
telecommunication system/equipment so far, however there exist type approval
procedure for the radio telecommunication customer premises equipment such as cell
phones, LPDs by the document verification method. At the same time, no market
surveillance, audit or testing capability exist to check for compliance or enforce
conformance. It seems necessary to explore the costs and requirements to implement
test labs, accreditation and certification systems. It is necessary to explore the
financial sources and the sustanibility issue to establish test centres and improve
quality, performance and interoperability of systems including interoperation with
legacy systems including the provision for necessary resources with appropriate
mechanism. It may be necessary to have recognition Agreement/Arrangement.There
are a number of indicators which can signify that all is not well in a
telecommunication marketplace and that there is a need for intervention to restore
order and balance. Furthermore public concerns about potential health risks, such as
from exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation from cell phone use or from
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communications transmission towers, demands action from authorities. Various
international standards, procedures and practices have been studied and analyzed in
this report.
The potential assessment of the possible Labs of IOE Pulchowk Campus, Kathmandu
University, and Nepal Engineering College were explored with the site visit in the
corresponding labs. From the available information it was concluded that the testing
facilities available with the academic institutions are prominently for the academic
objectives and those existing facilities will be insufficient for the testing and
verifications of the commercial equipments.

The existing scenario of the type approval procedure being in practice in NTA was
analyzed with the sample case study in case of some CPEs different stakeholders. The
analysis was carried out based on the different documents with special focus on Test
Report and Certificate of the specified standard international bodies submitted by the
corresponding local representative to the NTA for the purpose of getting type
Approval certificate.
The study of type Approval Procedures adopted in different countries including
United State of America, Qatar, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Egypt was
studied and analyed in different aspects of the equipment certification practices and
same is presented in the Report. The international practices of the different standard
Test Labs relating to the type approval with special focus on infrastructure and
standards adopted were analyzed and incoporated in the report. The standard
requirments for setting up a Lab was also studied based on the ISO/IEC requirments,
and the standard accredition procedure was also studied and anlyzed to establish an
accredition body.
Based on the national and international practices and standards adopted for the type
approval, the feasibility analysis was carried out in the technical and financial aspect.
The different infrastructure including the test equipment, test facilities, human
resources were identified and presented in the report in the context of Nepal. The
different conclusions and recommendations were derived based on the comprehensive
study and the same were included in the report for the consideration of NTA.

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Table of Contents
Preface ................................................................................................................................................. 2
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 3
CHAPTER 1 ......................................................................................................................................... 9
1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................ 9
1.2 The Problem Definition ..................................................................................................... 9
1.3 Objectives ........................................................................................................................... 10
1.4 Scope of Work .................................................................................................................... 10
1.5 Activities ............................................................................................................................... 10
1.6 Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 12
CHAPTER 2 ...................................................................................................................................... 13
2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 13
2.2 Basic Concepts in Type Approval ............................................................................... 14
2.3 Need of Type Approval Test Lab ............................................................................. 15
2.4 Fundamentals of an Orderly Telecom Equipment Marketplace .................... 15
2.5 Implementation Alternatives for an Orderly Telecom Equipment
Marketplace ................................................................................................................................ 16
2.6 Status of Needs in Nepal ................................................................................................ 16
2.7 Benefits of Quality Mobile Sets ................................................................................... 17
2.8 Major Issues Mobile Phones/CPEs Testing ........................................................... 17
CHAPTER 3 ...................................................................................................................................... 19
3.1 Existing Scenario of Type Approval in Nepal ........................................................ 19
3.2 Documentation .................................................................................................................. 19
3.3 Equipments Identified for Type Approval: ............................................................ 20
3.4 Interim Arrangement of Type Approval .................................................................. 21
CHAPTER 4 ...................................................................................................................................... 22
4.1 Different Aspects Related to Type Approval .......................................................... 22
4.2 Type Approval Procedure ............................................................................................. 22
4.3 Labeling Requirement ................................................................................................... 22
4.4 Requirement of New Type Approval Certificate .................................................. 24
4.5 Terms and Conditions for Granting Approval ....................................................... 24
4.6 Different Issues Regarding Type Approval by Lab Testing Method ............. 24
CHAPTER 5 ...................................................................................................................................... 26
Key Parameters to be tested and Analysed in the Lab ................................................... 26
5.1 Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) ................................................................................... 26
5.1.1 SAR Exposure Limit ................................................................................................. 29
5.2 Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) ...................................................................... 30
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5.3 Safety ..................................................................................................................................... 31
5.4 RF Testing ............................................................................................................................ 31
CHAPTER 6 ...................................................................................................................................... 32
Potential Assesment of the Test Lab in Nepal ................................................................... 32
6.1 Existing Testing Lab in Nepal and their Capacity ................................................. 32
6.2 Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk ........................................................................... 33
6.3 School of Engineering, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel ................................ 36
6.4 Nepal Engineering College, Bhaktapur ..................................................................... 40
CHAPTER 7 ...................................................................................................................................... 43
International Practices about Type Approval ................................................................... 43
7.1 Type Approval Procedures adopted in different countries ............................. 43
7.1.1 United State of America ......................................................................................... 43
7.1.2 QATAR .......................................................................................................................... 46
7.1.3 INDIA ............................................................................................................................. 50
7.1.4 Pakistan ........................................................................................................................ 61
7.1.5 Indonesia ..................................................................................................................... 66
7.1.6 Sri Lanka ...................................................................................................................... 68
7.1.7 Egypt ............................................................................................................................. 69
7.2 International Practices and Proceedures of Testing Lab .................................. 74
7.2.1 Test Procedures in CTIA Lab................................................................................ 74
7.2.2 Test Procedures in QuieTek Lab ........................................................................ 78
7.2.3 Test Procedures in Bureau Veritas Lab ........................................................... 88
7.2.4 Test Procedures in SATIMO Lab ......................................................................... 91
7.2.5 National Telecommunication Metrology Station (TMC Lab) ................ 104
7.3 Sample Case Analysis for Test Report ................................................................... 114
7.3.1 Sample Test Report Analysis of Nokia Model 501,5010 Type RM-902
.................................................................................................................................................. 114
7.3.2 Sample Test Report Analysis of BIRD/VIPHONE/ADMET Brand Model
.................................................................................................................................................. 116
Chapter 8 ........................................................................................................................................ 130
Identification of Technical Infrastructure for the testing lab .................................... 130
8.1Technical Infrastructure Needed for the Testing Lab ....................................... 130
8.2 Anechoic Chamber ......................................................................................................... 131
Acoustic Anechoic Chambers ............................................................................................ 131
Semi-Anechoic Chambers .............................................................................................. 131
Radio-Frequency Anechoic Chambers ........................................................................... 132
Radiation Absorbent Material (RAM) ....................................................................... 132
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Effectiveness Over Frequency ...................................................................................... 133
Installation into a Screened Room .............................................................................. 134
Chamber Size and Commissioning ............................................................................. 134
Health and Safety Risks Associated with RF Anechoic Chamber.................... 134
8.3 Test Instruments ............................................................................................................. 138
CHAPTER 9 .................................................................................................................................... 141
Modalities of Type Approval and the Accreditation Procedures ............................. 141
9.1 Criteria to Establish Accreditation Bodies and Testing Laboratories for
Type Approval ......................................................................................................................... 141
9.2 Conformity Assessment and Conformance Testing .......................................... 142
9.3 Requirements for Accreditation Bodies: ISO/IEC 17011 – Conformity
Assessment – General Requirements for Accreditation Bodies Accrediting
Conformity Assessment Bodies ....................................................................................... 143
9.4 Requirements for ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 Compliant Testing Laboratories
143
9.4.1Management requirements ................................................................................. 143
9.4.2 Technical requirements ....................................................................................... 150
9.5 Mutual Recognition Agreements/Arrangements (MRA) Frameworks ..... 157
9.5.1 Overview of an MRA .............................................................................................. 157
9.5.2 Benefits of MRAs ..................................................................................................... 158
9.6 Accreditation and Certification Procedures ..................................................... 159
CHAPTER 10 ................................................................................................................................. 160
Feasibility Study of Set-Up of testing Lab in Nepal ........................................................ 160
10.1 The Components of a Feasibility Study ............................................................... 160
10.2 Different Attributes Relating to the Test Lab .................................................... 160
10.3 Set up Lab with Infrastructure ................................................................................ 162
10.4 Priority Identification ................................................................................................. 162
10.5 Restructure of the organization ............................................................................. 163
10.6 Addition of Human Resource .................................................................................. 163
10.7 Training............................................................................................................................ 163
10.8 Legislative Arrangement ........................................................................................... 164
10.9 Business Operations ................................................................................................... 164
10.10 Financial Analysis ................................................................................................. 165
CHAPTER 11 ................................................................................................................................. 168
Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 168
References ..................................................................................................................................... 171
Annex 1: NTA Organization Chart ........................................................................................ 172
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ANNEX-2......................................................................................................................................... 173
Accredited Testing Laboratories recognized by ictQATAR ........................................ 173
Annex-3........................................................................................................................................... 177
ISO/IEC 17011: 2004 – “Conformity assessment – General requirements for
accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies ............................ 177
Annex -4 ......................................................................................................................................... 185
Test Instruments and Specifications ................................................................................... 185
Annex 5 : Accronyms ................................................................................................................. 206
Questionnaires ............................................................................................................................. 210

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CHAPTER 1

1.1 Background
In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 14 of the Telecommunications Act,
1997(2053) and the powers conferred by Clause (f) of Section 13 of the said Act, NTA has
issued “Type Approval Working Procedure of Customer Premises Radio Telecommunication
Equipments-2012” (TAP-02) as per the NTA decision dated 2069|02|09 for the specified
Customer Premises Equipment Radio Telecommunication Equipment Type Approval from
NTA before import and/or sale in Nepal.

In practice the document verification method for type approval of aforementioned equipment
has been implementing so far. It is necessary to submit a test report(s) and certificate of
conformity issued by the manufacturers and/or by NTA-approved international
standardization bodies or regulatory inspection/certifying bodies, the Suppliers’ Declaration
of Conformity (SDoC) and/or related standards test reports and other documents as
mentioned in TAP-02 by the applicant. It is believed that large amount of money (approx.
USD 4000/-) per model is to be paid by the applicant/manufacturer for certification and
testing of Equipment under Test (EUT). If test laboratory for type approval is established in
Nepal, NTA will be able to test and provide certification of the aforementioned CPEs to
verify and/or check the quality of the equipment in line with the Telecommunication Act
1997 (2053).

NTA has already decided (decision of date 2062.9.21) that “Type Approval by Equipment
Testing to be made possible by local test labs, organizations or companies’ accreditation” as
future program of NTA. NTA has formulated this program to study for Type Approval of
Radio Telecommunication CPEs by lab testing in Nepal.

1.2 The Problem Definition
This project is deemed applicable to address the following issues:
I. To carry out the feasibility study of establishing of testing lab at Nepal
Telecommunication Authority for the type approval of specified Customer Premises
Equipment of Radio Telecommunication System. This includes both the technical
feasibility as well as economic feasibility.
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II. To develop the mechanism for type approval by using the local testing lab in Nepal or
abroad.
III. To develop the lab accreditation process and modalities of local labs in Nepal or abroad
for type approval to make the type approval possible by lab testing.

1.3 Objectives
The main objective of this program is to perform feasibility study on type approval by local
lab testing in Nepal and study on possible lab accreditation options and modalities to make
type approval of Radio Telecommunication CPEs by lab testing possible.

1.4 Scope of Work
In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the scopes of the study are as follows:
. Study the current status/scenario regarding type approval in NTA.
. Study the international trends and practices about Type Approval by Lab Testing.
. Identify the related equipment and infrastructure needed for laboratory setup and
explore the appropriate specifications of the same.
. Estimate the tentative budget plan for the equipment and infrastructure and the source
of potential funding.
Suggest the way forward to explore the possible alternating regarding the
accreditation of local/abroad lab.
. Study the feasibility of possibilities of lab set up in NTA or accreditation of other
national/ international standard organization and also explores the necessity of
corresponding human resource in NTA.
. Any other relevant issues regarding Type Approval by Lab Testing

1.5 Activities

The different activities to be dealt throughout the assignment period are identified hereunder:
1. Study of existing scenario of Nepal about type approval of different
telecommunication of mobile sets/terminals and low power devices.
2. Identification of different parameters to be tested while testing the mobile sets and
Low Power Devices in the Lab.
3. Submission of inception report.
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