New Delhi : The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has designated Telecom Engineering Centre, Department of Telecommunications as a testing and certification agency for Conditional Access Systems (CAS) and Subscriber Management Systems (SMS) of broadcast and Cable TV services.

TEC will carry out the overall administration, execution and co-ordination of testing of CAS and SMS according to the Interconnection Regulators, 2017. It will also notify and maintain Test Schedules and Test Procedures (TSTP) as well as empanel and declare the final list of accredited testing laboratories that fulfill the requirements for carrying out the testing.

The Centre will also provide certification for all products tested and certified by the accredited testing laboratories, and maintain the version and deployment details of CAS and SMS deployed in India, said the regulatory body.

The decision was taken following several complaints from broadcasters and distribution platform operators regarding unauthorised distribution of their signals, much of which occurs due to the deployment of CAS or SMS that do not comply with security protocols.

Sub-standard CAS and SMS also render the distribution network vulnerable to hacking and content piracy.