FCC Closure Preventing Telecom Manufacturers from Shipping New Products

New product introductions are in danger of being delayed by the government shutdown, officials at the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) said Oct. 8. Products by TIA members need certification from FCC-approved telecommunication certification bodies (TCBs), but those labs can’t submit their reports to the now-shuttered FCC websites for ultimate approval. Without FCC approval, manufacturers can’t ship their products. “No new devices of any kind that need FCC approval can be marketed in the U.S. until the shutdown ends,” TIA General Counsel Danielle Coffey said.

It “impacts all our members that are in the product approval process to get products to market,” said TIA President Grant Seiffert. Part 15 interference compliance, Part 68 compliance for equipment connected to the public switched telephone network, and handset approval are all on hold, he said. “If you don’t get the good seal of approval, you cannot sell into the market,” Seiffert told us. “It’s already started hurting them,” Coffey said of TIA’s members. Samsung, which has a new product coming out, has been “up in arms” about the delay, Coffey said. Motorola Mobility and Intel have also expressed concerns, she said.

It’s hard to quantify the impact of a one-week delay, but it can ripple throughout product timelines, Seiffert said. Companies have detailed product launch plans, and any delays can affect sales and revenue, he said. “From a strategic planning sense, if they’re launching a new product and cannot, that has a Slinky effect on everything down that supply chain.” A longer delay could even affect what’s on the market for consumers to buy during the holiday season, Seiffert said.