Global Market Access

Global Market Access (GMA) Services

The process to achieve the global type approvals and country–specific certification services can be complex, bureaucratic, time consuming and expensive. It requires planning, patience and understanding as regulations and approval schemes are constantly evolving.

Why do your products need Global Type Approvals?

Regulatory approvals are legally required and must be followed, and depending upon the country you want to market your products in, the approvals and process can change from basic self-declaration or type approval to other, more complex approvals.

Getting a product approved for one market or another means you must understand each country’s regulatory scheme and related requirements. It is important to acknowledge and plan for product approvals as they may require specific product labels, translations and/or statements in the user manual. You may need importer or in-country local representatives. You may need factory or individual shipment inspections. Depending on the country, local importers, subsidiaries or representatives may need to be involved in the approval process. Finally, there may be test requirements that overlap with other countries allowing for test lab economies of scale. Not considering these variables could be costly and delay time to market, resulting in lost revenue and market share growth.

Why do your products need Mandatory Approvals?

Mandatory product approvals are required for your products to clear customs and for you to obtain a license for operation in that country.

Why do your products need Voluntary Approvals?

Voluntary product approvals are needed to meet customer, distributor, and/or retainer purchasing requirements. Voluntary approvals can also help you establish a marketing advantage over other suppliers as well as demonstrate proof of compliance.

Type Approval and Country Specific Certification Assistance

NTS’ Global Market Access services are a robust solution to support international compliance and regulatory objectives on behalf of the manufacturer’s global marketing effort. With an established worldwide network supporting market certifications in the Information Technology, Wireless and Telecom sectors, NTS can quickly and efficiently achieve market approvals for your international product deployment.

NTS’ technical experts are well versed in the local type approval agencies, and our experience will help guide you through the global product compliance process quickly and cost effectively.

Dedicated Global Market Approval Support services are provided with a single point of dedicated project management so our clients have an accurate and comprehensive understanding of the specific country requirements, approval process, labeling guidelines and overall status at any given time. Handling the global maze of regulatory compliance is a difficult task. Let NTS take the burden off your back. Contact us today for more details about NTS Global Market Access services.

Your dedicated project manager will support your application, manage your documentation control, support all logistics and keep you informed of the status and timelines of your approval efforts. Additionally, the approval team works with the NTS test lab to ensure all test program efficiencies can be identified – saving time and money in the testing and approval process.

Our international representatives can be utilized as license holders when necessary and our qualified relationships with international labs will help avoid project delays when products have to be sent in-country for testing. NTS can pre-test samples, prepare and ship test samples through customs, handle confidential documents and work through customs logistics.

NTS Global Approval Services Include:

• Country investigations to determine specific requirements in the design process prior to product development, including direct communication with country authorities
• Specific country approvals where testing and reporting to current requirements are offered at an accredited NTS test laboratory
• Specific in-country approvals using accredited NTS and globally recognized test reports
• In-country testing and in-country representation to support such test programs at government accredited test laboratories
• Pre-testing to international standards and/or staging of samples before shipment to local test labs

Globally Recognized Approval Reports

NTS’ test reports are widely recognized through government established MRA’s and as such accepted throughout the world. The NTS team has a deep regulatory understanding and knowledge in multiple regulatory areas including but not limited to EMC, Safety, Telecom, Radio and Energy Efficiency.

Global Market Approvals Include

• Type Approvals – the classic type approval process for radio products apply to most countries including North America, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. Either a radio regulation authority or an assigned private certification body assesses the documentation and test reports and finally issues a certificate. Testing has to be followed through either according to internationally accepted standards or national requirements.
  Classical type approval allows for less flexibility than self-declaration. Even minor product changes might require the involvement of local authorities. In such cases, expert know-how is invaluable in order to find the right balance in handling changes on globally certified products.
• Homologations – Regulations for electronic devices with telecommunication functions have specific measures to deal with products for personal use. Any product that transmits data through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or radio must be homologated to that countries regulatory standards and specifications.
• Declarations – Self declaration is the most convenient way to handle type approval for radio products and short range devices. Self-declaration is possible in the EU, Australia and New Zealand. The full legal responsibility for the correctness of their statements lies with the manufacturer or the person placing a product with wireless connectivity on the market. In order to make sure that the statements you are making are really correct, testing in an accredited laboratory is best practice. Since in this case no certificates are being issued, the involvement of a certification body is not required. However company policies and varying levels of quality management lead to different interpretations of the applicable regulations and standards. External consultancy can be recommended where companies do not have the necessary knowledge in-house. Especially changes in the legislation must be monitored constantly. Making use of experienced external consultants can help you to avoid running into unforeseen risks.
• Certifications, Authorizations and/or Registrations
• Exemptions
• Shipping Approvals

GMA Areas or Disciplines

• Safety
• Energy Efficiency
• EMI/EMC
• Radio communications
• Telecommunications (carrier or compliance)
• Environmental
• Others

MRA and Other Global Recognitions

NTS recognitions cover North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean Islands, the European Union / EEA, Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Oceana.
Specific approvals include:

• ISED Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada, APEC MRA Phase I, Testing – Canada
• ACMA Australian Communications and Media Authority, APEC MRA, Phase I, Testing – Australia and New Zealand
• BSMI – Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, APEC MRA, Phase I, Testing – Chinese Taipei
• NCC – National Communications Commission, Chinese Taipei, APEC MRA, Phase I, Testing – Chinese Taipei
• MIC/RRL – Korean Ministry of Information and Communication, Radio Research Laboratory, APEC MRA, Phase I, Testing – Korea
• Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA), APEC MRA, Phase I, Testing – Hong Kong
• IDA – Info-communications Development Authority, APEC MRA, Phase I, Testing – Singapore
• Ministry of Information and Communication for Vietnam APEC MRA, Phase I, Testing – Vietnam
• Israel Ministry of Communications – Israel
• CSA – Canadian Standards Association – Canada
• FCC – Federal Communications Commissions – United States
• NEMKO – European Union, International
• VCCI – Voluntary Control Council for Interference – Japan