ITU-T in collaboration with the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) is organizing a workshop on the Profiling Requirements for the Feasibility Study on Establishment of Electronic Communications Equipment Type Approval Testing Laboratory. This workshop will be held in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania from 25th to 26th June 2009.

WTSA-08 approved Resolution 76 “Studies related to conformance and interoperability testing, assistance to developing countries, and a possible future ITU mark programme” resolving that ITU-T has to assist developing countries to set up regional and sub regional test laboratories and to facilitate capacity building opportunities in the field. Moreover Res. 76 instructed the Director of TSB to report to the council 2009 about technical, economical and legal studies related to the subject including the possibility to start an ITU mark programme for products compliant to ITU-T Recommendations.

WTSA-08 approved Resolution 76 “Studies related to conformance and interoperability testing, assistance to developing countries, and a possible future ITU mark programme” resolving that ITU-T has to assist developing countries to set up regional and sub regional test laboratories and to facilitate capacity building opportunities in the field. Moreover Res. 76 instructed the Director of TSB to report to the council 2009 about technical, economical and legal studies related to the subject including the possibility to start an ITU mark programme for products compliant to ITU-T Recommendations.

The workshop is designed to address the issues raised during the WTSA-08 in Johannesburg, on the interoperability problems experienced in the industry. Some of the objectives of the ITU/TCRA joint pre-workshop is to derive basic definitions and requirement that should be considered for preparation of the Feasibility Study on Type Approval Laboratory establishment, setup and operation, as a composition of the three perspectives, including:

• Electronic communication scope definitions, (reviewing networks and service requirements and type of equipment)
  • Mobile networks and services
  • Fixed networks and services
  • Analogue and digital broadcasting services
• Applicable testing methodologies for Type Approval procedures,
  • Conformance to standards
  • Spectral compatibility
  • Synchronization testing
  • Interoperability testing
  • Performance measurement
  • QoE measurement
• Standardization, Normative and Regulatory frameworks,
  • Applicable standards (ITU-T recommendations, ETSI standards, ANSI
  • standards, others);
  • Applicable normative framework
  • Available normative and regulatory framework

The areas that will be considered for type approval testing include: EMC and Safety, Conformance testing, Interoperability testing, Spectral compatibility, Synchronization testing, QoS measurements, QoE measurement, Acoustic measurements, Mobile and Wireless Networks and Services, Fixed Networks and Services, Broadcasting Services

Based on the agreements reached at the joint pre-workshop, the ITU through its experts will prepare the proposal for Feasibility study elaboration that shall clearly identify existing tests suites related to type approval tests of the identified equipment with the specifications of parameters including test methods, type of instrument, necessary calibrations and test set-up. Feasibility study will include also the cost evaluation associated with the establishment and operation of the training proposal. The output of the joint ITU/TCRA pre-workshop shall be the agreed checklist of electronic communication areas to be covered by Feasibility Study, agreed testing methodologies considered as candidates for type approval procedures for each type of equipment from the list, and list of standardization normative and regulatory documents sets, that will form technical, normative and regulatory framework for type approval procedures.

Many are the stakeholders interested in this field from governments to end-users, from service providers to operating companies, certifying and accreditation bodies, type approval laboratories, regulators.

Sponsorship Opportunities