WPC ETA stands for Equipment Type Approval, issued by the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing of the Department of Telecommunications. If your product contains a radio, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or any other wireless module that works in one of India's licence-free frequency bands, you generally need an ETA before you can import it, sell it or even clear it at customs.

Customs officers actually ask for this. A perfectly ordinary Bluetooth speaker or smart gadget can sit at the port for weeks because nobody checked the radio module in advance. The approval itself is not hard to get. The delays usually come from the test report and from picking the wrong category.

Which Products Need WPC ETA

• Wi-Fi routers, access points and IoT modules
• Bluetooth devices: speakers, headphones, earbuds, smartwatches, trackers
• Drones and their remote controllers
• RFID readers and tags in the licence-free band
• Smart home devices, wireless cameras and CCTV with Wi-Fi
• Wireless keyboards, mice and other 2.4 GHz peripherals
• Cordless phones, baby monitors and similar consumer radios

If the device operates on a frequency that needs a spectrum licence (some walkie-talkies and industrial radios, for example), ETA is not enough. That route involves a licence from WPC, and we sort that out first.

Who Can Apply

The applicant must be an Indian entity: the importer, the Indian manufacturer, or an authorised representative of a foreign brand. A foreign company cannot apply directly without an Indian representative. You will need an Authorisation Letter from the brand owner if you are not the manufacturer.

WPC ETA Process, Step by Step

1. Confirm the radio specifications

We note the frequency bands, output power, antenna type and the standard the device is tested against. This is the data the whole application hangs on.

2. Confirm that ETA is the right route

Is the band licence-free? Is the device a transmitter, receiver or both? A wrong answer here means a rejected application, not just a delay.

3. Get the RF test report

A test report from an accredited laboratory, covering the applicable radio parameters, is needed. We check that the report format and standards match what WPC accepts before the sample goes to the lab.

4. Prepare the documents

Technical specifications, block diagram, user manual, label artwork, the authorisation letter, and the company documents all need to be consistent with one another, since officers look for mismatches.

5. Apply online

The application is filed on the Saral Sanchar portal, with the declarations and the fee.

6. Answer any queries

If the officer asks for clarification, such as a missing parameter or a mismatched frequency, we respond with the right document rather than a vague explanation.

7. Receive the ETA certificate

Once approved, the ETA is issued for that specific model. A different model, or a version with a different radio module, needs its own approval.

8. Use it at customs and on the product

Keep the ETA with your import documents. WPC also expects the ETA number to be shown on the product or its packaging as required.

Documents Required

• RF test report from an accredited laboratory.
• Technical specifications and datasheet, including frequency band, power and modulation.
• Authorisation letter from the manufacturer or brand owner.
• User manual and label artwork.
• Company documents such as GST, PAN, IEC and the signatory's ID proof.
• Declaration of conformity or self-declaration as required by the current process.

The Test Report Is Where Most Delays Happen

Most rejected or delayed ETA applications we see have nothing wrong with the product itself. The test report might be for a slightly different model name, use an outdated standard, or miss a parameter for the band in question. Also, the model name on the report, the label, the datasheet and the application must all match exactly. We check this before submission, because correcting a report after filing means going back to the lab.

WPC ETA vs BIS CRS vs TEC MTCTE

These get confused all the time, and a product can need more than one. WPC ETA covers the radio part and its frequency use. BIS CRS covers electronic product safety for notified categories. TEC MTCTE covers telecom equipment. A Bluetooth speaker, for example, can need ETA and CRS at the same time. We work out which combination applies to your product at the start so you do not discover a missing approval at customs.

How Long Does It Take?

With a ready test report and clean documents, the application itself can move quickly, often in days to a couple of weeks. In practice the time goes into the lab test and into fixing document mismatches. Plan on a few weeks end to end for a new model and add buffer if the sample has to be shipped from abroad.

What Affects the Cost

The government fee, the lab testing charge for the radio parameters, and the consultancy fee are the three components. Lab cost depends on the number of bands and radios in the device: a Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth module costs more to test than a single-band remote. Approval is per model, so a product range with many variants multiplies the number of applications.

Common Mistakes

Importers order stock first and ask about ETA later. They use a test report from the factory that covers another model name. They assume the supplier's FCC or CE report is automatically accepted. They apply under the wrong band or category. And they treat ETA as a one-time thing for the whole brand when it is model-specific, so a new variant ships without an approval.

Why It Is Worth Doing Properly

A valid ETA lets your goods clear customs and be sold legally, which is the whole point. It also protects you from seizure and penalties for selling unapproved wireless equipment, and large retailers and marketplaces increasingly ask for the ETA number before listing a product. If you are bringing in drones, see also our drone registration guide.