Based on current regulations, various types of telecommunications and ICT devices are required to obtain type approval certification before entering and being marketed in Singapore. Therefore, it is important for manufacturers to understand the type approval certification process for telecommunications and ICT devices in Singapore. The Infocomm Media Development Authority or IMDA is the regulatory body for telecommunications and ICT devices in Singapore. Therefore, the type approval certification for Singapore is also known as IMDA certification.
In this article we will discuss all about Singapore IMDA certification process especially for telecommunications and ICT devices need to be marketed in Singapore.
Type approval certification in Singapore
Before manufacturers importing their telecommunications devices to Singapore, they need to prepare type approval certification of their telecommunications devices first. In Singapore, the type approval certification for telecommunications and ICT devices is managed by Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
IMDA is a statutory board under the Ministry of Digital Development and Information responsible for developing and regulting the infocomm and media sector in the Singapore, including regulating the telecom industry in Singapore. Therefore, type approval certification for telecommunications and ICT devices in Singapore is also known as IMDA certification.
There are three types of IMDA applications that commonly used for type approval certification. The type of application will be depending on the registration schemes and equipment types, as follows:
- Enhanced Simplified Equipment Registration (ESER): This scheme requires applicants to conduct your own conformity assessment and do a self-declaration.
- Simplified Equipment Registration (SER): This scheme requires applicants to submit a self-declaration of conformity to the relevant IMDA technical specifications.
- General Equipment Registration (GER): This scheme requires applicants to submit test reports and be evaluated by IMDA.
Among the three IMDA certification schemes above, the most common certification scheme is GER because applicants can obtain a declaration approved and issued by IMDA Office. Besides, several types of equipment with machine-to-machine telecommunications features are also classified as M2M approval schemes.
Requirements of IMDA certification
Local testing is not mandatory when processing Singapore IMDA certification. Besides, it is better and cheaper processing Singapore type approval certification with the paperwork-based method, doing testing in Singapore is more expensive.
This means that IMDA certification can be done by just submitting test reports from foreign laboratories. Here are list of the required documents for IMDA certification under paperwork method:
- Application form specified by IMDA Office
- Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) letter
- Applicant’s register dealer license with IMDA Office
- CE test reports
- Product specification
- User manual
- Photos of equipment show front, rear, side view and product label (trademark and product name)
Applicants of IMDA certification
Applications of Singapore IMDA certification must be submitted by a local supplier or dealer in Singapore. The local suppliers or dealers who want to manufacture, import, or sell any telecommunication equipment must first obtain a license.
Therefore, the local suppliers or dealers are required to comply with IMDA license conditions. In order to apply IMDA certification under GER scheme, the license holders must meet all of the following criteria:
- The local entities must be registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA).
- Having a Telecommunication Dealer’s License.
Lead time of IMDA certification
Since the recommended route of Singapore IMDA certification is through the paperwork method, then the lead time is relatively shorter. However, the lead time of IMDA certification will also be varies depending on the certification scheme choosen.
IMDA certification under GER scheme generally has a very short lead time of 3-5 working days. Meanwhile, IMDA certification under the M2M scheme has a relatively longer lead time of around 2 months.
Label requirements of IMDA certification
All holders of a Dealer’s License are required to comply with the labeling requirements specified in IMDA publication in accordance with their respective license conditions. Based on IMDA publication for label requirements, the Dealer’s License holders are required to affix such labels on all registered equipment intended for use or sale in Singapore.
The labels are indicating that the equipment complies with the standards and specifications published by IMDA. All license holders shall affix the following compliance label on all registered equipment or on the equipment’s instruction manual or packaging before such equipment is displayed or offered for sale in Singapore.
Validity of IMDA certificates
Singapore IMDA certificates of registered telecommunication equipment is valid for 5 years from the date of assignment of registration number. If the registered equipment are still imported for use or sale after 5 years, IMDA registration can be renewed for periods of 5 years at a time.
Validity of the equipment registered with IMDA may be affected if changes are made to the equipment. The supplier must inform IMDA of any proposed changes to be made to the registered equipment. The equipment to be sold must be the same as the model that has been registered with IMDA and shall not be modified in any way without re-registering with IMDA.
Example of IMDA certificates
In the IMDA certificates under GER scheme, several information related to the telecommunication equipment and applicant will be mentioned. Below is an example of Singapore IMDA certificates for telecommunications devices.
Conclusion
Navigating Singapore type approval certification is not easy, there are many things we need to know and prepare before starting the whole process. Usually, some manufacturers also face difficulty to navigate Singapore type approval especially because they have limited knowledge and language barriers to the whole process.
To avoid these issues happening, the existence of a type approval service partner is important for manufacturers. You can consult with our expert team about Singapore IMDA certification by drop an email to info@narmadi.com for further assistance.
