DC-01 — Procedure for Declaration of Conformity and Registration of Terminal Equipment

DC-01
Issue 7
August 2021

 

Preface

Terminal Attachment Program Procedure DC-01, Procedure for Declaration of Conformity and Registration of Terminal Equipment, issue 7, replaces DC-01, Procedure for Declaration of Conformity and Registration of Terminal Equipment, issue 6, dated January 2016. This document describes the procedure that suppliers of telecommunications terminal equipment must follow to declare its conformity with applicable technical specifications and to register their equipment with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

This document will be in force upon publication on ISED’s website.

The following are the main changes:

  1. updated labelling requirements (section 8.2)
  2. added requirements for electronic labelling (e-labelling) (section 8.2.3)
  3. incorporated Notice 2014-DRS1003 requirements into a new annex E
  4. restructured and reformatted the document
  5. made editorial changes and clarifications, as appropriate

Issued under the authority of
the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry


Martin Proulx
Director General
Engineering, Planning and Standards Branch

1. Scope

Terminal Attachment Program Procedure DC-01, Procedure for Declaration of Conformity and Registration of Terminal Equipment, describes the procedure that suppliers of telecommunications terminal equipment must follow to declare its conformity with applicable technical specifications and sets out the requirements for registering terminal products.

This procedure does not apply to radio apparatus or broadcasting equipment, and does not apply to interference-causing equipment covered under the series of Interference-Causing Equipment Standards (ICES). This document must be used in conjunction with the requirements of Compliance Specification CS-03, Compliance Specification for Terminal Equipment, Terminal Systems, Network Protection Devices, Connection Arrangements and Hearing Aids Compatibility.

2. Purpose and application

DC-01 details the application requirements to register equipment to be listed in Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s (ISED) Telecommunication Apparatus Register (TAR). The registration application shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with this procedure.

All telephones with handsets, including VoIP telephones, are subject to the requirements of this procedure and CS-03 and must be registered with ISED.

Accessories that interface with terminal equipment are subject to the requirements of this procedure and CS-03 and may need to be registered with ISED.

Terminal equipment previously registered or certified under Certification Procedure CP-01 will be regarded as compliant equipment, as long as it has not been modified. If equipment that was registered or certified under Certification Procedure CP-01 has been modified, the procedure set forth in this document applies.

This document has been developed pursuant to Part IV.1 of the Telecommunications Act, and CS-03.

Note that terminal equipment with radio apparatus capabilities must also comply with applicable Radio Standards Specifications (RSS), as well as Radio Standards Procedure RSP-100, Certification of Radio Apparatus and Broadcasting Equipment.

3. Related documents

All spectrum-related documents referred to in this paper are available on ISED’s Spectrum Management and Telecommunications website. Refer to the following documents as needed:

CS-03 Compliance Specification for Terminal Equipment, Terminal Systems, Network  Protection Devices, Connection Arrangements and Hearing Aids Compatibility

RSP-100 Certification of Radio Apparatus and Broadcasting Equipment

Acronyms

CS – Compliance Specification
RSP – Radio Standards Procedure

4. Inquiries

This section provides contact information for submitting inquiries related to the registration procedure and to compliance specifications.

4.1 Inquiries related to the registration procedure

Inquiries may be submitted online using the General Inquiry form. Select the Certification and Engineering Bureau radio button and specify “DC-01” in the General Inquiry field.

Inquiries can also be sent by email or by mail to the following address:

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Certification and Engineering Bureau
Attention: Manager, Equipment Certification
P.O. Box 11490, Station H
3701 Carling Avenue (Building 94)
Ottawa ON  K2H 8S2

Email: CertificationBureau-Bureauhomologation@ised-isde.gc.ca

4.2 Inquiries related to compliance specifications

Inquiries may be submitted online using the General Inquiry form. Select the Certification and Engineering Bureau radio button and specify “CS-03” in the General Inquiry field.

Inquiries can also be sent by email or by mail to the following address:

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Engineering, Planning and Standards Branch
Attention: Regulatory Standards Directorate
235 Queen Street
Ottawa ON  K1A 0H5

Email: consultationradiostandards-consultationnormesradio@ised-isde.gc.ca

5. Equipment registration requirements

Terminal products subject to any standard requirements set out in CS-03 shall be registered with ISED.

6. Canadian representative

A Canadian representative is required when the applicant’s company address is not within Canada. The applicant shall provide a signed Declaration of conformity (DoC) and registration of terminal products (annex A) in which the details of the company representative in Canada shall be clearly identified.

The Canadian representative shall be responsible for responding to all enquiries from ISED regarding the registered terminal equipment(s), including providing audit samples at no charge to ISED. The applicant shall have a valid Declaration of conformity (DoC) and registration of terminal products for as long as the terminal equipment registered with ISED is offered on the Canadian market.

7. Types of terminal products

This section provides the types of terminal products for which this procedure applies.

7.1 Stand-alone terminal interface product

A product is considered a stand-alone terminal interface product if it contains the terminal circuitry and the interface to connect to a public network. The product must be tested as stand-alone and registered with ISED.

7.2 Terminal accessory

When a terminal accessory is interfaced with a stand-alone terminal interface product and this interface may impact the terminal characteristics of the stand-alone terminal product, the terminal accessory must be tested with the stand-alone terminal interface product and registered with ISED. Typically, the terminal accessory should be registered together with the stand-alone terminal interface product under family registration (see section 9). If the terminal accessory is sold individually, it must be registered separately with a unique ISED Registration Number.

7.3 Terminal host product

A product is considered a terminal host product provided that the main chassis or package contains terminal modules with or without terminal interface. The terminal host product may connect to a public network directly or through one or more of the contained terminal modules. The host product shall be tested for all the combinations of the terminal modules that are intended to be packaged with the terminal host product. The host product containing one or more module products can be considered a terminal equipment package and can be registered as a terminal equipment package with ISED under one Registration Number. Terminal host products that can connect directly to a public network must be registered with ISED. 

7.4 Terminal module product without terminal interface

A product is considered a terminal module product without terminal interface provided that the subassembly or card product contains the terminal circuitry but not the interface to connect directly to a public network. This type of product must be tested in a typical host product that connects to a public network. The host model number shall be reported. This type of product must be registered as part of a terminal equipment package with ISED.

7.5 Terminal module product with terminal interface

A product is considered a terminal module product with terminal interface provided that the subassembly or card product contains the terminal circuitry and the interface to connect directly to a public network. If the intended host integration may impact the terminal characteristics of the host product, then the product must be tested in a typical host. Otherwise, the product may be tested as a stand-alone product. This type of product can be registered individually or as part of a terminal equipment package. If the product is tested in a host product, the host model number shall be reported. The user manual for the module product shall contain a list of host equipment with which the module product is compatible.

7.6 Handsets

Telephones with wired or wireless handsets must be registered with ISED. The requirements of CS-03 apply to Wi-Fi and IP-based handsets. Cellular phones must comply with RSS-HAC (Hearing Aid Compatibility), Hearing Aid Compatibility and Volume Control.

7.7 Certification and registration of terminal equipment

For a terminal product that also has a radio (i.e. wireless) interface (e.g. cordless telephones and DSL modems with a Wi-Fi interface), applications for certification and registration of the terminal equipment shall be submitted together to a recognized certification body or ISED’s Certification and Engineering Bureau. This will allow the product to share the same Registration and Certification Number. ISED reserves the right to withhold notification of certification and/or registration if they are not submitted together.

8. Declaration of conformity and registration process

This section provides the testing, labelling and user notice requirements needed for the declaration of conformity (DoC) and registration of the terminal product.

8.1 Testing

A representative sample of the final product must be tested to the latest version of the applicable terminal technical specifications to verify compliance. These specifications are established by ISED under the Telecommunications Act and are set out in CS-03.

Alternative methods of measurement not covered by CS-03 may be considered by ISED for demonstrating the compliance of terminal equipment, provided they are determined to be acceptable by the Certification and Engineering Bureau. Alternative methods of measurement may be submitted by email (CertificationBureau-Bureauhomologation@ised-isde.gc.ca) to the Certification and Engineering Bureau, who will determine the acceptability of these methods.

Testing shall be performed by an ISED-recognized testing laboratory to test to terminal attachment requirements.

A list of recognized testing laboratories has been compiled by ISED and is available on its Mutual Recognition Agreements/Arrangements (MRA) website.

Subcontracting of testing by one ISED-recognized laboratory to another ISED-recognized laboratory is permitted only where the subcontracted testing falls within the latter’s scope of recognition. Any subcontracted work shall be clearly identified in the test report.

The recognized testing laboratory shall document all test results and test methods used, and prepare a CS-03 test report. A detailed list of requirements for the test report is provided in annex D.

8.2 Labelling requirements

Each unit of a terminal product shall meet the labelling requirements set out in this section prior to being marketed in Canada or imported into Canada.

If the dimensions of the product are extremely small or it is not practical to place the label or marking on the product, and if electronic labelling cannot be implemented, the label shall be placed in a prominent location in the user manual supplied with the product, as agreed upon with ISED prior to the registration application. The user manual may be in an electronic format; if it is not supplied to the user, the user manual must be readily available.

8.2.1 Labelling of terminal products

The Product Marketing Name (PMN), Hardware Version Identification Number (HVIN), Firmware Version Identification Number (FVIN) and Host Marketing Name (HMN) are defined in section 13 of this document.

Every unit of a terminal product for which registration is required for marketing and use in Canada shall be identified as per the following requirements:

  1. the HVIN and ISED Registration Number shall be permanently indicated on the exterior of the product or displayed electronically according to e-labelling requirements (see section 8.2.3) as follows:
    1. the HVIN and ISED Registration Number may be placed on a label, which shall be permanently affixed to the product
    2. the ISED Registration Number shall be preceded by “IC:”
    3. the HVIN may be listed or placed with or without a prefix (HVIN:, Model#, M/N:, P/N:, etc.)
    4. the HVIN and ISED Registration Number are not required to be adjacent to each other
  2. the PMN must be displayed electronically (see section 8.2.3), or indicated on the exterior of the product or on the product packaging, or in the product literature, which shall be supplied with the product or readily available online
  3. the PMN, HVIN and ISED Registration Number are permitted to be etched, engraved, stamped or printed on the product, or be placed on a label permanently affixed to a permanently attached part of the product
  4. the PMN, HVIN and ISED Registration Number indicated on any product (including by electronic display) on the Canadian market must be listed in the TAR
  5. when the FVIN is the only difference between product versions (i.e. the PMN and HVIN remain the same for all versions) listed in the TAR within a family registration, the FVIN shall be displayed electronically or stored electronically by the product and be easily retrievable
  6. in all cases, the PMN, FVIN, HVIN and ISED Registration Number text shall be clearly legible

The PMN, HVIN, ISED Registration Number and applicable FVIN are not required to be adjacent to each other.

The Registration Number is made up of a Company Number (CN) assigned by ISED’s Certification and Engineering Bureau, followed by a Unique Product Number (UPN) assigned by the applicant. The Registration Number format is:

IC: XXXXXX-YYYYYYYYYYY

The components of the Registration Number are explained as follows:

  1. “IC:” indicate that this is an ISED Registration Number, but they are not part of the Registration Number. XXXXXX-YYYYYYYYYYY is the ISED Registration Number.
  2. XXXXXX is the CN assigned by ISED. Newly assigned CNs will be made up of five numeric characters (e.g. “20001”) whereas existing CNs may consist of up to five numeric characters followed by an alphabetic character (e.g. “21A” or “15589J”).
  3. YYYYYYYYYYY is the UPN assigned by the applicant, made up of a maximum of 11 alphanumeric characters.
  4. The CN and UPN are limited to numeric (0-9) and capital alphabetic (A-Z) characters only. The use of punctuation marks or other symbols, including wildcard characters, is not permitted.
  5. The HVIN may contain punctuation marks or symbols but they shall not represent any indeterminate (wildcard) characters.

Example 1: A company has been assigned a CN of “21A” and wishes to use a UPN of “WILAN3” for one of its products. The full ISED Registration Number of this product would thus be IC: 21AWILAN3.

Example 2: A company has been assigned a CN of “20001” and wishes to use a UPN of “WILAN3” for one of its products. The full ISED Registration Number of this product would thus be IC: 20001WILAN3.

Example 3: A manufacturer wishes to use the characters “XX” as wildcards to indicate that these two characters are not fixed but represent a range of characters decided by the manufacturer in the HVIN (“47XP-820K/A21XX”) or UPN (“WILANXX”). This practice is not permitted. However, this same sequence of symbols can be used as a valid HVIN and UPN, if it identifies a single product version. 

8.2.2 Terminal module and terminal host product labelling requirements

Any modular terminal products for which registration is being sought shall meet the labelling requirements set out in section 8.2.1.

The HMN shall be displayed according to the e-labelling requirements of section 8.2.3 or indicated on the exterior of the host product or on the product packaging, or on in the product literature, which shall be supplied with the host product or readily available online.

The host product shall be properly labelled to identify the modules within the host product.

The ISED registration label of a module shall be clearly visible at all times when installed in the host product; otherwise, the host product must be labelled to display the ISED Registration Number for the module, preceded by the words “contains” or similar wording expressing the same meaning, as follows:

      Contains IC: XXXXX-YYYYYYYYYYY

In this case, XXXXX-YYYYYYYYYYY is the module’s Registration Number.

For each registered module, the applicant shall provide the user with a host label as described above, or a description of the host product labelling requirements.

8.2.3 Electronic labelling (e-labelling)

Devices with an integrated display screen may have the required label information represented electronically in an e-label instead of on a physical label or nameplate.

Devices without an integrated display screen may have the labelling information represented through an audio message or a host device display screen connected by a physical connection, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other, if the connection to a device with a display is mandatory for use.

Devices using e-labelling shall meet the requirements specified in annex E of this procedure.

8.3 User notices requirements

User notices, which are required for terminal products, shall be included with each unit of the product offered for sale. The required notice(s) shall:

  • be stated as specified in section 8.3.1 and section 8.3.2 in both English and French
  • be shown in a conspicuous location in the user manual for the product or displayed on the product (various formats are acceptable for providing the notices (e.g. on paper, CD or DVD, in an insert or using a download link on the company’s website))
  • identify the product to which each notice pertains in cases where more than one notice is required for multiple product version

In cases where the user notifications are only available in one language (English or French) at the time of the registration process, the applicant shall provide a written declaration that the user notices will be in both English and French when the product is made available for sale and/or lease in Canada.

8.3.1 Statement of compliance

The following statement of compliance shall be included in the product user manual or displayed electronically as per e-labelling requirements:

This product meets the applicable Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada technical specifications.

Le présent produit est conforme aux spécifications techniques applicables d'Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada.

8.3.2 Ringer Equivalence Number statement and value

For terminal equipment with interfaces defined in CS-03, Part 1, that use network-provided analog ringing, the Ringer Equivalence Number (REN) statement and REN value requirements apply. The REN must be calculated as per section 1.8 of CS-03, Part I. A higher REN may be assigned by manufacturers to allow for production variations. In all cases, the indicated REN value shall be greater than zero.

The following REN requirements apply:

  • the REN value must be marked on the terminal equipment itself or in the manual
  • the terminal equipment or the manual must bear the REN statement below
  • the stated or marked REN value must be 0.1 or greater

The REN statement is the following:

The Ringer Equivalence Number (REN) indicates the maximum number of devices allowed to be connected to a telephone interface. The termination of an interface may consist of any combination of devices subject only to the requirement that the sum of the RENs of all the devices not exceed five.

L'indice d'équivalence de la sonnerie (IES) sert à indiquer le nombre maximal de dispositifs qui peuvent être raccordés à une interface téléphonique. La terminaison d'une interface peut consister en une combinaison quelconque de dispositifs, à la seule condition que la somme des IES de tous les dispositifs n'excède pas cinq.

9. New product(s) registration services

The following sections have been prepared to assist the applicant in applying for equipment registration services.

9.1 Description of key fields

  • PMN: The Product Marketing Name (PMN) is optional at the time of the registration, but shall be provided before the product is listed in the TAR and made available on the Canadian market. For temporary non-disclosure of the PMN, the deferred REL/TAR (Radio Equipment List and Telecommunication Apparatus Register) listing function can be used.
  • HVIN: The Hardware Version Identification Number (HVIN) is required for all products for registration services application. As the HVIN is required to be on the product label or accessible through e-labelling, any changes to the HVIN will require changes to the product label and/or e-labelling).
  • FVIN: The Firmware Version Identification Number (FVIN) shall be provided as appropriate (if the product does not require firmware for operation, “N/A” shall be entered as the FVIN).
  • HMN: The Host Marketing Name (HMN) shall be provided when the module is tested in a typical host product.
  • Equipment description: A brief description of the type of product must be provided.

9.2 New single product registration service

A New Single Product Registration application for a single version (final product or module) may be granted provided that the applicant has never been granted registration for the assigned HVIN or ISED Registration Number in the registration service application.  

The registration service application shall include the following:

  • the PMN (which can be identical to the HVIN)
  • the FVIN, if applicable (otherwise, “N/A” shall be entered as the FVIN)
  • the HMN for modular registrations when module compliance is assessed in the host product
  • the documents required as per the checklist in annex C

9.3 New family product registration

Multiple versions of a product design are permitted to be registered under a single family registration with one (1) ISED Registration Number provided that all the product variants within a family registration meet the following conditions:

  • the enclosure and general appearance of all product versions in a family registration shall be identical, except for enclosure color and/or minor external cosmetic differences
  • two or more versions of a product shall not contain two or more Printed Circuit Board (PCB) designs with identical enclosures
  • two or more versions of a product with different terminal features shall have these features enabled or disabled by software only
  • a new product variant with design improvements shall contain only minor PCB modifications
  • all the product versions within a family registration shall be identical or have differences permitted under Class I and III permissive changes (see section 10)

An approval from ISED for any Class II permissive changes permitted (see section 10) under a family registration shall be submitted with the registration application.

9.3.1 New family product registration service

A New Family Product Registration application for multiple versions of a product (final products or modules) may be granted provided that the applicant has never been granted registration for the HVIN(s) or ISED Registration Number in the application.  

The application shall comply with the following requirements:

  • a family registration application cannot contain a mixture of modular and final product versions
  • at least one field (PMN, HVIN or FVIN) must be unique to identify the different version(s) of the new product family
  • information documents related to the family registration must list the PMN, HVIN and FVIN of all the product versions within the application to explain in detail the hardware and/or software differences (e.g. terminal characteristics, circuitry design, functional capabilities) between all the versions
  • if the PMN and HVIN remain identical and the FVIN is the only difference between the product versions within the family registration application, then the FVIN must be provided
  • the HMN is required for modular registrations when module compliance is assessed in the host
  • documents must be submitted as per the checklist in annex C

9.3.2 Exemptions

The following types of terminal equipment are permitted to be registered under one ISED Registration Number:

  • a base telephone unit with one or more wireless handsets (the base unit and the handset cannot have identical HVIN; only identical handsets are permitted to share the same HVIN)
  • a terminal product and a terminal accessory such as wired headset
  • a terminal equipment package containing different types of terminal modules

If a terminal product/device/module/card/accessory designed to be used with a terminal equipment package is marketed and sold individually, the product must obtain a unique ISED Registration Number.

10. Modification of registered terminal products

Any modification to a registered product may require re-registration with ISED. The registration holder shall inform ISED of any changes that may affect compliance with the technical requirements of the regulations under which the product was originally registered. For modifications as per the various permissive changes listed below in this section, the product registration services as detailed in section 11 shall be used as appropriate to ensure that the modified product remains compliant with the latest applicable ISED regulations.

10.1 Class I permissive changes (C1PC)

The following changes under C1PC are permitted:

  1. hardware modifications that do not affect the terminal characteristics of the product
  2. modifications that do not change physical characteristics significantly (which would require new photographs to identify the modified product)

Notice to ISED is not required for Class I modifications unless the HVIN or PMN is also modified; however, the registration holder shall ensure that the product continues to remain compliant with the original registration obtained from ISED.

10.2 Class II permissive changes (C2PC)

The following changes under C2PC are permitted:

  1. hardware modifications to the registered product that affect the terminal characteristics of the product
  2. modifications that change physical characteristics significantly (which would require new photographs to identify the modified product)
  3. any changes to the PMN or HVIN of the registered product

Notice to ISED is required for Class II permissive changes.

10.3 Class III permissive changes (C3PC)

The following changes under C3PC are permitted:

  1. firmware modifications to a registered product that affect the terminal characteristics of the product
  2. new terminal features or capabilities that are enabled with modifications to the firmware but not the hardware
  3. cases where a new and unique FVIN must be provided

Notice to ISED is required for Class III permissive changes.

10.4 Class IV permissive changes (C4PC)

A registered module(s) that is integrated into a new host product that results in changes to the originally reported terminal characteristics is permitted under C4PC, with or without firmware modifications.

Notice to ISED is required for Class IV permissive changes and the HMN shall be provided.

11. Registration services applications

For all registration services listed in this section, the product in the application shall comply with the latest applicable standard(s) and an assessment shall be conducted to determine if testing is required based on the latest issue of the applicable standard(s). When no additional testing is required, a statement of compliance to the latest issue of the applicable standard(s) shall be provided as part of the application.

11.1 Add a new product/no changes to terminal interface (C1PC) to an existing registration application

The following shall be verified for an Add New Product (C1PC) to Existing Registration application:

  1. the product must have at least one unique field (PMN, HVIN or FVIN) to identify different versions if there is more than one product version in the application (the PMV, HVIN or FVIN may be identical to or different from the existing registered version(s) of the product)
  2. the HMN is provided for modular registrations when the module compliance is assessed in a host
  3. the modifications to the original registered product meet the conditions of Class I permissive changes
  4. documents required as per the checklist in annex C are submitted and include:
    1. a detailed description between different versions of the product with photographs, block diagrams, schematics and product literature, where applicable
    2. a statement describing how the modified product meets the Class I permissive changes and/or family registration conditions

11.2 Product modifications (C2PC) to an existing registration application

The following shall be verified for a Product Modifications (C2PC) to Existing Registration application:

  1. the product must have at least one unique field (PMN, HVIN or FVIN) to identify different versions if there is more than one product version in the application (the PMV, HVIN or FVIN may be identical or different from the existing registered version(s) of the product)
  2. the HMN is provided for modular registrations when the module compliance is assessed in a host
  3. test report(s) are provided for any permitted modifications to the hardware or software of the original registered product that may affect its terminal characteristics
  4. the modifications to the original registered product meet the conditions of Class I permissive changes
  5. documents required as per the checklist in annex C are submitted and include:
    1. a detailed description of the firmware/hardware changes or differences (e.g. terminal characteristics, circuitry design, functional capabilities) between different versions of the product
    2. a detailed description between different versions of the product with photographs, block diagrams, schematics and product literature, where applicable
    3. a statement describing how the modified product meets the Class II permissive changes and/or family registration conditions

11.3 Product modifications (C3PC) application

The following shall be verified for a Product Modifications (C3PC) service:

  1. a new and unique FVIN is provided
  2. the Modification Information Letter is submitted and includes:
    1. a detailed description of the terminal characteristics and/or functional changes to the registered product due to the firmware change
    2. a statement describing how the modifications to the product meet the Class III permissive changes registration conditions
  3. documents required as per the checklist in annex C are submitted

11.4 Product modifications (C4PC) application

The following shall be verified for a Product Modifications (C4PC) service:

  1. information regarding the module integration into a new host, including statements regarding the changes to the module’s original reported terminal characteristics is provided
  2. test report(s) and updated information on the terminal characteristics are submitted if the module integration affects the terminal characteristics
  3. the HMN(s) is provided
  4. documents required as per the checklist in annex C are submitted

11.5 Multiple listing service

A new registration may be obtained based on an existing registration with an application through the Multiple Listing of Registration service.

Below is information related to registration falling under the Multiple Listing of Registration service:

  1. the existing registration holder or another entity or company (new applicant) may request a new ISED Registration Number based on the existing registration of a product
  2. the selected HVIN, PMN or FVIN under the new multiple listing application may be identical to those used in the registration of the original applicant, provided that the HVIN has never been used by the multiple listing applicant

The applicant shall submit the documents required as per the checklist in annex C, including the following information:

  1. an ISED Registration Number for which registration has never been granted to the applicant
  2. the product version(s), which must be identical (C1PC permitted) to those in the existing registration
  3. the Application Cover Letter, which includes:
    1. product details (ISED Registration Number, PMN, HVIN, FVIN, when applicable) from the existing registration and new application
    2. a declaration that the new product version is identical to the registered product
    3. a declaration that the documents on file with ISED from the original registration remain unchanged and continue to be valid
  4. an Original Applicant Authorization Letter from the existing registration holder that includes:
    1. authorization for the existing registered product to be listed under the new applicant/company
    2. product identification details (ISED Registration Number, PMN, HVIN, FVIN as applicable) from the existing registration and new application
    3. authorization for ISED officials to use documents it has on file from the existing registration

11.6 Transfer of registrations service

Below is information related to the Transfer of Registrations service.

11.6.1 Full transfer of registrations service (company takeover)

The Full Transfer of Registrations service is applicable when one company takes over another company.

The new applicant shall submit via email (CertificationBureau-Bureauhomologation@ised-isde.gc.ca) to the Certification and Engineering Bureau a legal document, which details the transfer of ownership from one company to the other.

11.6.2 Partial transfer of registrations service (product line takeover)

The Partial Transfer of Registrations service is applicable when one company takes over one or more product line(s), but not all of the product lines, from another company.

The new applicant shall assign new ISED Registration Number(s) to all transferred registered product lines and shall submit the documents required as per the checklist in annex C, including the following information:

  1. a signed statement indicating the new company/applicant assume all responsibilities for product line(s) being transferred that are associated with the existing registrations from the existing registration holder
  2. a copy of the Original Applicant Authorization Letter authorizing ISED to transfer the registration ownership to the new company/applicant and change the registration file information to reflect the new registration holder’s information

12. Registration retention and audits

This section includes information on registration retention and audits.

12.1 Responsible parties (applicant, manufacturers, importers, distributors and vendors)

Registration holders, and all associated responsible parties (manufacturers, importers, distributors and vendors) have a regulatory obligation to ensure that their product:

  1. has been declared to comply with Canadian regulatory requirements
  2. is registered with ISED before it enters the Canadian marketplace
  3. if sold in the Canadian marketplace, continues to meet the applicable standards throughout its entire life cycle

Where testing shows that a product does not comply with an applicable standard, these entities are responsible for taking prompt and effective remedial action.

Any non-compliance may result in the removal of the terminal equipment from the TAR. Once removed, the equipment is no longer considered registered and is therefore illegal for sale, import or distribution. The terminal equipment must be re-registered before it can be added again to the TAR.

12.2 Post-registration and post-certification audits, investigations and quality control

Post-registration and post-certification audits will be conducted by ISED in order to ensure continuing compliance. The registration holder shall provide random terminal product samples, at the registration holder’s expense, when requested by ISED, for post-registration audit testing or for determining terminal interference.

In the event of an investigation of non-compliance, the registration holder will be asked to provide ISED with records of the quality control process, as well as any relevant information that could help to identify issues related to compliance. All registration holders will be able to demonstrate a quality control process used for product inspection and testing in accordance with good engineering practices.

12.3 Remedial action

When ISED determines a product is not compliant with applicable standard(s) and procedures, the registration holder will be asked to provide satisfactory remedial action to bring the product back into compliance. In the case where registration holders are not reachable or are unresponsive, the other responsible parties (importers, distributors and vendors) will be contacted to take prompt and effective remedial actions.

12.4 Disclosure of information

The applicant shall indicate which information and documents submitted for registration are confidential. The provisions of the Access to Information Act apply to all applicants.

Files provided to ISED for the following exhibit types qualify for confidential treatment:

  • block diagrams
  • operational descriptions
  • parts lists and tune-up information
  • software defined radio and security information
  • schematic diagrams

For files of other exhibit types, ISED may consider treating them as confidential if the applicant submits an inquiry with the appropriate justification before the application for registration is submitted to ISED or a Certification Body.

13. Glossary of commonly used terms and definitions

Glossary of commonly used terms and definitions
Term Definition
Company Number (CN) or account number A Company Number (CN), also referred to as an account number, is assigned by ISED to each company.
Declaration of conformity (DoC) A declaration of conformity is a procedure by which the declaring party has the terminal equipment tested by a testing laboratory recognized by ISED and gives written assurance that the terminal equipment complies with the applicable technical specifications.
Declaring party or applicant The declaring party or applicant signs the Declaration of Conformity and assumes responsibility for the declaration.
Equipment Equipment refers to terminal apparatus.
Firmware Version Identification Number (FVIN) The FVIN identifies the firmware version used by the product, which controls/affects the terminal characteristics of the product.
Hardware Version Identification Number (HVIN) The HVIN identifies hardware specifications of a product version. An HVIN is required for all products for registration applications.
Host Marketing Name (HMN) The HMN is the name or model number of a final product, which contains a terminal module or card.
ISED Registration Number The ISED Registration Number is made up of a Company Number and a Unique Product Number.
Product(s) Product(s) refers to terminal apparatus.
Product description A field in which a brief description of the type of equipment is required.
Product Marketing Name (PMN) The PMN is the name or model number under which the product will be marketed/offered for sale in Canada. If the product has a PMN, it must be provided.
Recognized accreditation organizations Recognized accreditation organizations have been recognized by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) or a mutual recognition agreement/arrangement (MRA) partner as competent to perform accreditation.
Registration Registration is the process by which terminal equipment is entered in the Telecommunication Apparatus Register to signify that a Declaration of Conformity has been received by ISED.
Registered terminal equipment Registered terminal equipment is equipment that is listed on the Telecommunication Apparatus Register.
Supplier A generic term for an entity, such as the manufacturer, reseller, distributer, importer or other agent of telecommunications terminal equipment.
Telecommunication Apparatus Register (TAR) The Telecommunication Apparatus Register is the official list of terminal equipment maintained by ISED. Equipment included on the TAR has been registered. The supplier is therefore permitted to manufacturer, import, distribute, lease, offer for sale, sell, install or use this equipment in Canada.
Terminal equipment package A terminal equipment package includes two or more terminal modules or products packaged in one chassis and registered under one Registration Number.
Terminal product A terminal product includes any apparatus that must be registered to be listed in ISED’s Telecommunication Apparatus Register.
Testing laboratory An ISED-recognized testing laboratory.
Unique Product Number (UPN) A UPN is assigned by the applicant to a product or a family of products to be registered. The UPN makes up part of the ISED Registration Number.

Annex A: DC-01, Form A — Declaration of conformity (DoC) and registration of terminal products

Annex B: DC-01, Form B — Terminal test report cover sheet

Annex C: Document checklist for terminal registration

The following list of documents must be attached according to the type of registration service listed at the bottom of the table. The details below the table provide guidance.

Document checklist for terminal registration
Description of required document(s) Type of service
Application Cover Letter: A letter explaining the type of registration requested and briefly describing the terminal product. All
DC-01, Form A — Declaration of conformity (DoC) and registration of terminal products: Completed and signed. All
DC-01, Form B — Terminal test report cover sheet: Completed and signed. All
Canadian Representative Letter: Signed by the Canadian representative. All
Agent/Authorization Agreement: If the applicant has authorized another entity to act as legal representation on the applicant’s behalf. All
Terminal Test Report: A detailed test report meeting the technical requirements of annex D and applicable CS-03 requirements. All*
Photos: Internal and external photos of the product versions indicated in the application. All*
Product Manual: With applicable user notifications and operational description. All*
Schematics, Parts List and Block Diagrams All*
Product Label: Physical label and photo of the label location or illustration of the product label. All*
Family Registration Information: A letter, schematics, diagrams or photos explaining or showing the similarities and differences between the versions of the product. 2,3
Modification Information Letter: A signed letter that explains or shows the changes to the existing version of the product and that may include schematics, diagrams or photos if necessary. 3,4
Original Applicant Authorization Letter: A letter signed by the original applicant authorizing the new applicant to register the product for multiple listing or transfer of registrations. 5,6

All – The requirement applies to all types of registration services (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) listed below.
* – For all types of applications, if the document is identical to the document with the original filing, the document can be omitted.
1 – New Single Product Registration
2 – New Product Family Registration
3 – Add New Product to Existing Registration (C1PC, C2PC)
4 – Product Modifications (C3PC, C4PC)
5 – Multiple Listing
6 – Full/Partial Transfer of Registrations

Annex D: CS-03 test report requirements

The CS-03 test report shall contain the following information:

  1. the title, identifying the product model and the parts of CS-03 that apply to the test report
  2. the date on which the report was issued, e.g. January 1, 2021 (the test report shall not be older than 12 months when the application for equipment registration is submitted)
  3. the name and postal address of the test facility and the location and postal address where the tests were carried out
  4. the name and postal address of the customer and/or applicant for the equipment under test (EUT)
  5. the name(s), function(s), and signature(s) or equivalent identification, of the person(s) responsible for the test report
  6. unique identification on the test report (such as a test report number)
  7. a table of contents, an identifier on every page indicating that the page is part of the test report and a clear mention on the last page of the test report indicating the end
  8. a description along with unambiguous identification of the EUT, i.e. model and serial numbers (if for any reason more than one sample is required, each specific test shall identify which unit was tested)
  9. a summary of all the tests listed in the applicable part of CS-03, with a notation of whether the EUT passed or not (alternative measurement methods may be used provided that they are fully described in the test report; however, ISED’s Certification and Engineering Bureau shall be consulted to determine the acceptability of alternative measurement methods)
  10. the results of measurements conducted on the product as described in the applicable CS-03 technical specification(s)
  11. photographs of the EUT and any manufacturer-supplied accessories that are used with the EUT under normal operating conditions and that are relevant to the purpose of performing the testing of the EUT
  12. identification and description of any operating software or firmware for both the normal operating mode and special test modes for compliance testing
  13. the measurement uncertainty of the instrumentation
  14. a description and a block diagram of the test set-up
  15. the following information for each test provision deemed applicable:
    1. operating conditions for the EUT (including firmware, specific software settings and input/output signals level to/from the EUT)
    2. any modifications made to the product
    3. the results of each test in the form of tables, spectrum analyzer plots, charts, sample calculations, and so on, as appropriate
    4. the test equipment used, identified by type, manufacturer, serial number, or other identifier and the date on which the next calibration or service check is due
    5. the name(s) of the person(s) who has (have) performed the tests

The CS-03 test report shall contain the number of test result sets specified below:

  • If the terminal equipment is fully operational after the application of both Type B and Type A voltage surges, then only two sets of test results are required (“before surge voltage” and “after Type A surge voltage”).
  • If the terminal equipment is fully operational after Type B voltage surge, but is damaged and/or not fully operational after Type A voltage surge, then three sets of test results are required (“before surge voltage”, “after Type B surge voltage” and “after Type A surge voltage”). 
  • If no “after Type B surge” test was performed on the original sample, the Type B surge voltage shall be applied to a second sample and the “after Type B surge” test can be obtained from this second sample. Both samples shall be documented in the test report.

Annex E: Normative – Electronic labelling (e-labelling) requirements

The sections below detail the requirements that apply to e-labelling.

E1. Information to be displayed

The e-label must display the following regulatory information:

  1. the ISED Registration Number and the model identification number for terminal equipment devices
  2. any other information required to be provided on the surface of the device, unless such information is permitted to be included in the user manual or other packaging inserts

E2. Accessibility of the e-label

Users shall be provided with clear instructions on how to access the regulatory information stored electronically (e-label). These instructions shall meet the following requirements:

  1. be provided in the user manual, operating instructions or packaging material (e.g. on the bags used to pack the device or on accompanying leaflets), or on a website related to the product
  2. not require the use of special access codes or accessories
  3. not include more than three steps from the device’s main menu

The e-label shall meet the following requirements:

  1. be easily accessible by the user
  2. not be modifiable by the user (e.g. if stored in the firmware or software menus)

The equipment authorization application must clearly include the instructions for accessing regulatory information, as per section E1, stored electronically.

E3. Labelling for importation and purchasing

Products utilizing e-labels are required to have a physical label on the product packaging at the time of importation, marketing and sales. The following conditions shall apply:

  1. for devices imported in bulk (not packaged individually), a removable adhesive label or, for devices in protective bags, a label on the bags is acceptable to meet the physical label requirement
  2. any removable label used shall survive normal shipping and handling and must only be removed by the customer after purchase; for devices already imported in individual packages ready for sale, the information may alternatively be provided on the package and shall contain:
    1. the ISED Registration Number and the model identification number
    2. any other information required to be provided on the surface of the product unless such information is permitted to be included in the user manual or other packaging inserts

E4. Security

The information to be displayed on the e-label, as per section E1, shall meet the following security requirements:

  1. be programmed by the responsible party (e.g. manufacturer)
  2. not be modifiable or removable during the course of normal authorized activities by a third party (i.e. the typical user), such as installing applications or accessing menus

E5. User manual and packaging

All information required to be on the packaging or in the user manual as per the applicable standards (e.g. CS-03 standards) must be provided, even if the user manual and packaging components are provided electronically. Such information may be included in the device’s e-label. The following considerations must be taken into account when providing such information on the e-label:

  1. if the user manual is provided by other electronic media (e.g. on CD or online), then as an option the required information may also be provided as part of the e-label
  2. the e-label format must clearly differentiate between the information required to be on the surface of the device and the information required to be in the user manual or on the packaging

E6. Devices approved as certified transmitter modules

Devices approved as certified transmitter modules may have their ISED Certification Number displayed electronically if the module or the host in which it is integrated has a display screen. In such cases, all e-labelling requirements apply.

If the certified transmitter module provides a secure electronic exchange interface with authentication between the host with integrated display and the module to identify the correct ISED certification, then the host may display the module’s ISED Certification Number on the host’s built-in display. In such cases, the following conditions apply:

  1. the module may be either user-installable or factory-installed
  2. the application for equipment authorization for such modules shall include a description of the secure electronic exchange protocol and the security of such an arrangement
  3. the module must bear a physical label with its own ISED Certification Number unless it also has an integrated display

If the certified transmitter module does not provide a secure electronic exchange interface with authentication, the host manufacturer may electronically display the module’s ISED Certification Number on the host by factory-encoding the ISED Certification Number of the module. In such cases, the following conditions apply:

  1. factory encoding must be secure and locked by the host manufacturer, and not modifiable by any third parties
  2. the programmed information must display the ISED Certification Number of the module, preceded by the words “contains transmitter module”, or the word “contains”, or similar wording expressing the same meaning, as follows:

    “Contains transmitter module IC: XXXXXX-YYYYYYYYYYY”

    In this case, XXXXXX-YYYYYYYYYYY is the module’s Certification Number.

Multiple modules in a host can be electronically displayed as “Contains transmitter modules IC: XXXXXX-YYYYYYYYYYY1, XXXXXX-YYYYYYYYYYY2”, etc.