ISDN terminal adapters

ISDN terminal adapters for wired network communication

WPC CLEARANCE

HSN 8517 69 20 (ISDN terminal adapters) is subject to Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing import licensing and mandatory testing and certification under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 and the Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE) framework administered by the Department of Telecommunications. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) ITC (HS) policy conditions 3 and 4 of Chapter 85 apply as additional clearance requirements, with customs compliance overseen by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

What this is

HSN code

8517 69 20

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

Primary regulator

WPC · Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 and MTCTE framework

Customs documentation

Import licence from WPC Wing
MTCTE certification from TEC
Equipment Type Approval from DoT

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

WPCWPC·Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Confirm whether the ISDN terminal adapter requires a WPC import licence or qualifies for Equipment Type Approval (ETA) via self-declaration on the SaralSanchar portal. For licence-exempt wireless devices with low transmission power, obtain the ETA certificate through saralsanchar.gov.in at least 30 days before shipment arrival; the system-generated certificate is downloadable 48 hours after application and is accepted by customs authorities.
CBIC Instruction 16/2022-CUS dated 21-07-2022 · CBIC Instruction 23/2021 dated 23-11-2021 · DoT OM F.No. R-11017/02/2021-PP dated 21-10-2021 · DoT letter ETA-WPC/Policy/2018-19 dated 12-04-2019
2
Ensure mandatory MTCTE certification for ISDN CPE and related terminal equipment listed in DoT Notifications TEC/01/2017-TC dated 04-07-2019 and 23-06-2020, as amended by Notification F.No. 5-2/2021-TC/TEC/131 dated 13-06-2022 and F.No. 5-2/2024-TC/TEC (Pt.1) dated 25-02-2025. Upload the certification evidence in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry.
Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 · DoT Notifications TEC/01/2017-TC dated 04-07-2019 and 23-06-2020 · CBIC Instruction 15/2020-CUS dated 24-07-2020
3
Verify compliance with ITC (HS) policy conditions 3 and 4 of Chapter 85 at the bill-of-entry stage. Equipment Type Approval certificates should be verified by customs officers via the QR code on the SaralSanchar-generated certificate; any violation of self-declaration conditions renders the certificate liable to cancellation and appropriate enforcement action.
ITC (HS) Policy Conditions 3 and 4, Chapter 85 · CBIC Instruction 24/2024-CUS dated 22-10-2024 · CBIC Instruction 23/2021 dated 23-11-2021

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is conflating the WPC import licence pathway with the ETA self-declaration route: ISDN CPE and terminal equipment explicitly listed in the MTCTE notification are subject to mandatory third-party certification and cannot be cleared on a self-declaration ETA alone. Importing under the ETA self-declaration scheme for equipment that falls within the MTCTE mandatory-certification list constitutes a declaration violation, resulting in certificate cancellation, consignment detention, and potential enforcement action under the Indian Telegraph Act.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8517 69 20 require BIS certification?

No, ISDN terminal adapters are not covered by a BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017, with mandatory MTCTE certification administered by the Department of Telecommunications and ITC (HS) policy conditions 3 and 4 of Chapter 85.

Can an ISDN terminal adapter be imported using the SaralSanchar ETA self-declaration route?

Only if the specific device operates in a licence-exempt band with low transmission power and is not listed under the MTCTE mandatory-certification notifications; ISDN CPE is explicitly named in the MTCTE product list, requiring full TEC certification rather than self-declaration ETA.

What happens if the WPC import licence or ETA certificate conditions are violated after clearance?

The SaralSanchar-generated certificate is cancelled, and the importer faces enforcement action under applicable law as notified by DoT; customs officers verify certificate authenticity by scanning the QR code on the certificate against the SaralSanchar portal per CBIC Instruction 23/2021 dated 23-11-2021.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: WPC / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.