Homologation and certification of telecommunications equipment in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

The process of homologation and certification of telecommunications equipment became effective in the year 2001, after the approval of the Organic Law of Telecommunications (Ley Orgánica de Telecomunicaciones - LOTEL) in the year 2000. 

Telecommunication equipment shall be subject to approval (homologation) and certification so as to guarantee the integrity and quality of telecommunications networks, of the radio frequency spectrum, and the safety of users, operators and third parties, with the purpose of guaranteeing the right of persons to quality goods and services, as well as an adequate and reliable information regarding the content and the characteristics of the products and services they consume.

In easy terms, Certification is the procedure in which a third party guarantees in writing that a telecommunications equipment complies with the specified basics of an applicable technical standard, whereas Homologation is the administrative procedure through which the National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL) accepts and recognizes the conformity declarations or certifications granted to a telecommunications equipment, authorized by a properly accredited certification entity or body, with the objective of authorizing the use of that equipment within the telecommunication networks under its authority.

Title IX of LOTEL establishes as obligatory the homologation of telecommunications equipment in order to operate within national territory, as well as CONATEL authority in the homologation of telecommunications equipment, including aspects such as designation of national or foreign certification bodies, approval of technical standards regarding homologation, and establishment of the amount of applicable fees.

Specifically, article 141 of LOTEL establishes that  imported equipment that has been approved and certified by a internationally renowned entity or agency, according to the opinion of CONATEL, shall not be required to obtain further approval or certific in Venezuela. For this purpose, the Resolution N° 253 (Resolución contentiva de la lista de entes u organismos extranjeros recomendados para la homologación y certificación de equipos de telecomunicaciones), published in the Official Gazette of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela N° 37.968, dated may 27, 2003, contents a public registry of foreign entities and agencies recommended for approval and certification of telecommunications equipment, so that equipment which has been approved or certified by these entities and agencies and which also comply with the requirements and conditions established by this resolution, can be sold and installed in Venezuela without the need for requesting a new homologation. By means of this Resolution, conformity certificates or declarations issued by other entities on behalf of (or under the authorization of) the recommended agencies will also be recognized.

Besides the aforementioned Resolution, technical correspondence of telecommunications equipment and apparatus with national regulations is verified at some stage in the homologation process, in particular, those aspects related to the national frequency allocation chart (Cuadro Nacional de Atribución de Bandas de Frecuencias – CUNABAF) and the Resolution N° 253 (Resolución contentiva de las Condiciones para la Calificación de los Equipos de Uso Libre). The last one establishes the conditions which should be met so that equipment can be qualified as unlicensed equipment (free-use equipment).

At this time, CONATEL objective is to implement an strategy aimed to the consolidation of the homologation procedure, with the purpose of making national technical regulations regarding different matters such as electromagnetic compatibility, electrical safety and environmental conditions, and promoting the deployment of national laboratories for certification. In order to achieve this, such strategy should consider the following basics:

• A diagnosis of the installed capabilities in the country, regarding to laboratories infrastructure available for running tests, in which strengths and weakness must be identified as well as the interest of such laboratories to be included in a national system of telecommunications equipment approval.

• An action plan which must be aimed to cover the problems that will be detected in the diagnosis stage.

• Recommendations for a better integration between CONATEL and the national system for quality.

Finally, more relevant information about the homologation application, documents to submit, legal framework and the approved equipments list, is available at CONATEL’s official website www.conatel.gov.ve

Antonio Delgado
CONATEL-Venezuela
E-mail: [email protected]

Rubén Arenas
CONATEL-Venezuela
E-mail: [email protected]