Modern telecommunications products are becoming increasingly complex, driven by technological convergence, surging demand, and diverse customer expectations. Products are no longer just about connectivity, but rather integrated digital ecosystems. Their scope encompasses hardware and software, as well as various other value-added services.
The complexity of the industry and market pressures often lead to the validation of telecom product variants being overlooked. The speed of product release and product complexity are additional contributing factors.
The large number of telecom products automatically leads to a large number of variants, ranging from stock keeping units (SKUs) and firmware variants to several hardware differences. In fact, the demographic and cultural diversity of a country poses a significant challenge for manufacturers.
A common mistake made by manufacturers is assuming that “minor changes” do not impact certification. However, the risks are very real if variants are not validated before submission. This article will provide manufacturers with an understanding of how to validate telecom product variants systematically before certification.
What Is a Telecom Product Variant?
A telecom product variant is a specific configuration of a product with different technical attributes, features, or commercial options. Variants are designed to meet diverse customer preferences without requiring the creation of entirely new products.
Telecom product variants allow manufacturers to manage multiple configurations under a single comprehensive product definition. In telecom devices such as smartphones, modems, or routers, different attributes can create variants. These differences include network compatibility, storage capacity, color, RAM, and regional specifications.
Product variants are necessary to meet diverse customer needs without having to create separate products. In addition, they are also needed to ensure technical compatibility with the infrastructure of cellular network operators around the world.
What Is Considered a Product Variant in Telecom Certification?
There are several things that manufacturers need to consider when determining product variants in telecom certification. These considerations include Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), software/firmware, hardware, product feature differences, and the demographics of a country.
- Multiple SKU variants: Each telecom product model has several different SKUs based on sales region, bundling packages, or minor specifications tailored to specific service providers.
- Software/firmware differences: Differences in supporting software can optimize each specific model and meet the unique requirements of different network operators in different countries.
- Hardware differences: Differences in the number of ports on products that refer to specific product types can be classified as different variants.
- Feature differences: An example is a model with Bluetooth and WiFi features, but there are different variants specifically for Bluetooth or WiFi only.
- Country demographics: The culture and demographics of a country often require manufacturers to customize specific variants for that country.
Why Validating Variants Before Submission Is Critical
Validating variants before submission is critical because negligence will result in certification being rejected, retesting and resubmission of certification, and products being held up at customs. Customs will validate import documents and certification documents.
This is where the conformity of the certified telecom product model and variant is checked. If there are differences or the destination country does not accept the base variant test results, it will be an obstacle to marketing the product.
Therefore, manufacturers need to know whether the destination country can accept the base variant test results or not. If not, manufacturers must retest each variant and also apply for certification for each variant.
This will certainly add time and cause obstacles to the targeted market launch. Not to mention the additional estimated costs for retesting and reapplying for certification for different variants.
How to Validate a Variant?
Before applying for type certification, manufacturers must comprehensively validate Telkom product variants. This is inseparable from considerations regarding product variants, namely Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), software/firmware, hardware, product feature differences, and the demographics of a country.
In addition, identifying the standards and requirements applicable in the destination country is closely related to the certification process. It is important to confirm whether the destination country allows different variant test results or not.
Early compliance planning
Early compliance planning is important for every manufacturer in the certification stage of the telecom compliance lifecycle. At this stage, manufacturers will identify the standards and requirements applicable in the destination country.
From this, it will be known whether the destination country can accept variant-based test results or not. In general, countries in Southeast Asia, such as Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia, do not allow variant-based test results.
At this stage, you can also create telecom product specifications in accordance with the destination country. Pre-compliance testing can also be carried out to ensure that the product complies with the testing parameters in the destination country.
This way, manufacturers will avoid regulatory non-compliance, delayed product launches, and inefficient operations. In addition, the company’s reputation and customer trust will also increase.
Common Mistakes When Validating Product Variants
Errors are common when applying for certification, especially when validating product variants. Being aware of some common mistakes can help you avoid unnecessary problems.
- Lack of knowledge about the regulations of the destination country: Some countries do not accept variant-based test results for the certification process.
- Failure to include the complete variant model name: This can cause difficulties for the authorities and require confirmation of variant models that are not detailed. In the worst case, this can lead to rejection.
- Differences in perspective between manufacturers and authorities: Each country has its own perspective on which variant models are acceptable and unacceptable in the certification application process. There are often differences in perspective with manufacturers that lead to application failures.
When Do You Need a New Test or New Certification?
Variants in telecom and wireless products often require new tests or new certifications. This is influenced by several factors, both during the certification application process and in terms of the product itself.
In terms of the certification application process, the following factors usually require new tests or new certifications:
- When there is no variant testing policy in the destination country
- When the authorities in the destination country cannot accept test results for certain variant models
- When there is a rejection of the application from the authorities in the destination country
From the product side, the following factors usually necessitate new tests or new certifications:
- Changes in the model or hardware
- Software/firmware updates
- New frequencies bands
That is why it is important to validate telecom and wireless product variants as part of the compliance lifecycle in the early compliance planning stage. This process is necessary to separate product variants in terms of testing requirements or certification applications.
This is because each country has its own policies regarding the acceptance of product variants. Since quite a number of countries do not accept product variants, it is necessary to validate variants before applying for type approval certification.