Philippines / NTC / Type Approval

Philippines NTC type approval in 2026: two tracks, new short-range device limits, and 6 GHz certificates that needed modifying

The Philippines' National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) requires a Certificate of Type Approval or Type Acceptance before customer premises equipment may be connected to the public telecommunications network. Consultancies describe two tracks: Type Acceptance for radio communications equipment (RCE) and Type Approval for customer premises equipment (CPE).
Secondary summaries report a 2026 circular, NTC Memorandum Circular No. 004-06-2026, that resets maximum power limits for movement-detection and alert equipment, including a new 77-81 GHz allocation. We could not retrieve NTC's own PDF, so the figures below are attributed to the sources that reported them.
Since 2024, certificates for equipment affected by the 5925-6425 MHz allocation have had to be modified, a point that catches products certified before then.

Last updated 10th October 2026 · By Vas Parshin and Anabel Amar

Wireless device on a radio test bench in a laboratory, illustrating Philippines NTC type approval

2 tracksType Acceptance (RCE) and Type Approval (CPE), per consultancy sources

6 bandsLimits reported in Memorandum Circular 004-06-2026 for movement-detection equipment (secondary summaries)

5925-6425 MHz6 GHz certificates reported to need modification since 2024

What the NTC requires

NTC Memorandum Circular No. 02-01-2001 states that customer premises equipment (CPE) without a Certificate of Type Approval or Type Acceptance shall not be connected to the public telecommunications network, apart from CPE brought in from overseas by individual subscribers. In practice, consultancies describe a split: Applus Laboratories says Type Approval covers customer premises equipment connecting to the public network, such as telephone handsets, DSL modems and satellite TV set-top boxes, while Type Acceptance covers radio communications equipment not connected to the public network, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices given as examples. Eleos Compliance uses the same RCE and CPE labels, and says products combining both are handled under a Grant of Equipment Conformity (GEC).

What a filing looks like, and where the sources disagree

The sources agree on the shape of the process: the manufacturer authorises a local supplier, the supplier is accredited with the NTC, documentation and test reports are submitted, and the NTC issues the certificate. They disagree on the details. IB-Lenhardt reports that conformity assessment is based on European standards, with FCC sometimes accepted, and gives an average radio type-approval lead time of 8 weeks (4-8 weeks in its FAQ). Eleos Compliance describes a paperwork-only review of up to 5 weeks with no local testing for RCE, while Applus says in-country testing by an NTC-accredited laboratory applies to Type Approval and can be avoided for Type Acceptance when an accredited CE or FCC test report is available. On labelling, Eleos says an NTC label is voluntary for RCE, while IB-Lenhardt says there is no mandatory label for radio equipment other than wireless terminal equipment such as mobile phones. Treat all timings as planning figures and confirm the route for your exact product before committing a launch date.

The 2026 change worth checking

Eleos Compliance reports that the NTC consulted on proposed amendments to Section 2 of Memorandum Circular No. 03-05-2007 (position papers due 26 May 2026, public hearing 2 June 2026), and later summaries report that Memorandum Circular No. 004-06-2026 followed. As summarised by Eleos Compliance, it sets maximum EIRP of 25 mW for 2400-2483.5 MHz, 9200-9500 MHz, 9500-9975 MHz and 13.4-14.0 GHz, 100 mW for 24.05-24.25 GHz and 50 mW for 77-81 GHz, for equipment for detecting movement and alert, and says the limits must not be exceeded by any function of the equipment. The circular is reported to take effect fifteen days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation and filing with the Office of the National Administrative Register; we have not seen a confirmed effective date, and the summaries differ on the issue date. IB-Lenhardt reports the 77-81 GHz band as opened for movement detection and alert equipment on 30 July 2026. If your product is a motion sensor, radar module or alarm device in any of these bands, check the circular text and your certificate before the next shipment.

6 GHz certificates and the modification step

Nemko reports that, following NTC Memorandum Circular No. 002-07-2024 on short-range devices, grantees holding a Type Acceptance Certificate (TAC) or Grant of Equipment Conformity (GEC) for equipment affected by the 5925-6425 MHz allocation are advised to apply for modification. The application is reported to need a declaration of updated radio specifications, a copy of the applicable radio test report or certificate, and a copy of the previously issued certificate; the modified certificate is reported to show the additional band and keep the original certificate number. A Wi-Fi 6E or similar product certified before the change is the typical case.

Where we fit

We scope, arrange and manage testing and certification end to end, including working out which NTC track a product falls under and whether an existing certificate needs modifying. Philippines type approval sits alongside other Southeast Asian regimes we track on their own clocks, such as Thailand's NBTC, Malaysia's SIRIM and MCMC and Indonesia's SDPPI, so a programme covering several of these markets gets one coordinated plan.

Questions

What does the NTC require before radio or telecom equipment can be sold in the Philippines?

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) requires a Certificate of Type Approval or Type Acceptance before customer premises equipment may be connected to the public telecommunications network (NTC Memorandum Circular No. 02-01-2001, which excludes equipment brought in from overseas by individual subscribers). Consultancy sources describe two tracks: Type Acceptance for radio communications equipment (RCE) such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices, and Type Approval for customer premises equipment (CPE) that connects to the public network.

Is a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth product RCE or CPE?

According to Applus Laboratories and Eleos Compliance, a device with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth that does not connect directly to the public telecom network is generally handled as RCE under Type Acceptance, while equipment such as routers, modems and handsets that connect to the network falls under CPE and Type Approval. Products that mix both are reported to be handled under a Grant of Equipment Conformity (GEC). The category depends on the exact product, so confirm it before filing.

What changed for short-range devices in 2026?

Secondary summaries report that NTC Memorandum Circular No. 004-06-2026 amends Section 2 of Memorandum Circular No. 03-05-2007 for equipment for detecting movement and alert, setting maximum EIRP limits of 25 mW for 2400-2483.5 MHz, 9200-9500 MHz, 9500-9975 MHz and 13.4-14.0 GHz, 100 mW for 24.05-24.25 GHz and 50 mW for 77-81 GHz. We could not retrieve NTC's own text, so confirm the figures against the circular before relying on them.

Do existing Philippines certificates need updating for the 6 GHz band?

Nemko reports that, following NTC Memorandum Circular No. 002-07-2024, certificates for equipment affected by the 5925-6425 MHz allocation must be modified, using a declaration of updated radio specifications, the applicable radio test report or certificate and a copy of the previously issued certificate; the modified certificate is reported to keep the original certificate number.