Global telecom firms face certification delays that may stall broadband expansion in India

A conflict between global telecom companies and India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) may delay broadband expansion. The DoT plans to enforce a new security certification for Wi-Fi equipment starting October 1, but no products have received this certification yet. Major companies like Cisco, Nokia, and Ericsson are resisting the mandate, citing concerns over sharing sensitive data. The DoT insists that the industry has had sufficient time to comply, despite requests for a two-year extension. Currently, only a few companies have applied for the necessary security certification, which could take 14-16 weeks to process. The lack of clear guidelines and high testing costs are additional challenges for the industry.