Pro tem extension may add 1,200 MSMEs to telecom gear space

Mumbai: India could add 800-1,200 new micro and small enterprises in the telecom equipment space as certification costs would come down drastically with the government extending the Pro Tem Certification Scheme. The move, however, may also risk diluting the original security objectives and could turn it into a delay mechanism for large global vendors.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) through its National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS) has extended the Pro Tem Certification Scheme beyond January 1, 2026 on an ongoing basis for two years. This allows manufacturers to commercially deploy products like IP routers, 5G Core and Wi-Fi equipment even as security testing and certification are underway.