Set top boxes for gaining access to internet for Wireline Telephony

Set-top boxes for wireline internet access

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · CRS SCHEME · IS 13252 (part 1) · CPCB OVERLAY · WPC OVERLAY

HSN 8517 69 60 (set-top boxes for gaining access to internet for wireline telephony) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 is mandatory under the Compulsory Registration Scheme with effect from 07 September 2012, by virtue of the Electronics and IT Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012. Wireless Planning and Coordination import licensing, Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation, and Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment compliance apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

8517 69 60

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · Compulsory Registration Scheme · R-number required

Indian Standard

IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 · effective 07-09-2012

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

CPCBCPCB·Central Pollution Control Board

WPCWPC·Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing

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

Compliance steps

1
Verify the foreign supplier's BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme R-number on the BIS portal against IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 before placing the purchase order. The R-number must be model-specific, current, and cover the exact set-top box model being imported.
Electronics and IT Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012 · S.O. 2357(E) dated 07-09-2012 as amended
2
Ensure every unit bears the BIS registration mark and labelling as required under the Compulsory Registration Scheme. Substandard goods that do not conform are liable to be deformed and disposed of as scrap under paragraph 3 of the Compulsory Registration Order, 2012.
Electronics and IT Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012 · S.O. 2357(E) dated 07-09-2012; DGFT Notification 05/2015-20 dated 07-05-2019
3
If the set-top box incorporates wireless functionality, obtain Wireless Planning and Coordination import licensing or, for licence-exempt low-power wireless equipment, submit an Equipment Type Approval certificate generated via the SaralSanchar portal. Apply to the Department of Telecommunications at least 30 days before shipment arrival.
CBIC Instruction 16/2022-CUS dated 21-07-2022; CBIC Instruction 23/2021 dated 23-11-2021; DoT letter ETA-WPC/Policy/2018-19 dated 12-04-2019
4
Confirm compliance with the Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment framework under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 and applicable DoT/TEC notifications, including the updated list of notified telecom products. Check whether this model is a notified product per F.No.5-2/2024-TC/TEC(Pt.1) dated 25-02-2025.
Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 · DoT Notification TEC/01/2017-TC dated 04-07-2019 as amended vide 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
5
Obtain Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation from the Central Pollution Control Board before import, unless the importer qualifies as a micro enterprise under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006. Quote the EPR authorisation number on the bill of entry.
Schedule I of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 · G.S.R. 801(E) dated 02-11-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the WPC wireless licensing and MTCTE telecom certification requirements as the primary compliance hurdle while allowing the BIS R-number to lapse or remain unverified at the model level. Customs verifies the R-number in real time against the BIS portal; an expired, suspended, or model-code-mismatched registration triggers detention and mandatory deformation of substandard goods as scrap — regardless of clean WPC and EPR documentation. Confirm the R-number covers the precise model variant being shipped, not merely the product family.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8517 69 60 require BIS certification?

Yes. Set-top boxes under this tariff line must conform to IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 and be registered under the Compulsory Registration Scheme; import is prohibited without a current, model-specific BIS R-number under S.O. 2357(E) dated 07-09-2012.

Is WPC import licensing required separately from BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme compliance?

Yes. Wireless Planning and Coordination licensing is a separate requirement administered by the Department of Telecommunications; for licence-exempt low-power wireless equipment, an Equipment Type Approval certificate from SaralSanchar portal substitutes the import licence.

Is Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation required for set-top box imports?

Yes, for importers other than micro enterprises as defined in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006. EPR authorisation is obtained from the Central Pollution Control Board under Schedule I of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.

Does a single BIS R-number cover all models from the same manufacturer?

No. The R-number is model-specific under the Compulsory Registration Scheme; set-top box variants outside the registered model code are not covered, and customs detains any consignment where the model on the bill of entry does not match the registered scope.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / CPCB / WPC / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.