The Type Allocation Code is the first 8 digits of the 15-digit IMEI. For PTCRB devices it is issued by CTIA Certification, acting as IMEI Administrator and GSMA Reporting Body. One TAC covers 1,000,000 units, a TAC cannot be shared across model numbers, and a TAC request is reserved for 120 days before being revoked if the device is not certified (PPMD Section 8).

Mexico has its own homologation regime, separate from PTCRB. Since October 17, 2025 the authority is the Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT), which replaced the IFT under the Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law published on July 16, 2025. No Mexican operator appears among the PTCRB participating operators.

PTCRB, frequently asked questions

Q: What's the difference between PTCRB and FCC?

FCC equipment authorization is a legal requirement under 47 CFR for radio equipment marketed in the United States (ISED plays that role in Canada). PTCRB is an industry certification administered by CTIA Certification against the PPMD and NAPRD03 documents. The two are separate, and the PTCRB request itself asks for the FCC ID, ISED ID or other national ID of the device (PPMD 11.3.1.3).

Q: Who are the operators behind PTCRB?

On October 7, 2026 the About page of ptcrb.com listed 17 participating operators: Ameren, AT&T, Bell, Eastlink, EchoStar, FirstNet, KORE, Rogers, Sateliot, Skylo, Southern Linc, Starlink, Telus, T-Mobile, Verizon, Viasat and Vidéotron. The program is administered by CTIA Certification and managed by the PTCRB Working Group.

Q: Must my cellular product pass PTCRB?

Not by law. PPMD V4.2, Section 1.1, calls the process recommended for all manufacturers whose devices are expected to operate on the participating networks. The obligation comes from each operator: AT&T, for example, states that getting AT&T Network Ready means first getting IoT Network Certified.

Q: What's the difference between module certification and device certification?

A module, phone, tablet or IoT chipset goes through a PTCRB Initial certification. Since PPMD V4.0 (October 2025), an IoT device built on a certified module no longer gets a PTCRB device certification: it goes through IoT Network Certified. Only notebooks and tablets using a certified module stay in PTCRB, at a $1,500 CTIA Certification fee.

Q: My module is already PTCRB-certified, what does that change?

Your IoT product goes through IoT Network Certified rather than a full PTCRB campaign, and leverages the module results. RF performance (OTA) evaluation remains mandatory for every device type (NAPRD03 2.9). For a notebook or tablet, the platform is tested against the NAPRD03 version used to certify the module, valid three years if the module software is unchanged (PPMD 11.11.2).

Q: What happens with 2G and 3G?

GSM requirements were removed from the PPMD in V4.0 (October 2025), and GERAN and UTRA radiated spurious emission requirements in V4.1 (December 2025). UTRA Bands II and V are still PTCRB bands in NAPRD03 V6.26. On the network side, T-Mobile retired 3G UMTS on July 1, 2022 and set the retirement of its 2G GSM network for August 3, 2026.

Q: How is an IMEI composed?

TAC (8 digits) + serial number (6 digits) + check digit (1 digit) = 15 digits. In the PPMD the first two TAC digits are the Reporting Body Identifier (01 for PTCRB IMEIs). The check digit is computed with the Luhn formula over the first 14 digits (3GPP TS 23.003). The IMEISV replaces the check digit with a 2-digit software version number.

Q: Who keeps track of IMEIs?

CTIA Certification places each IMEI (SV) on the Certified, Uncertified or Block list of the North American CEIR and sends it to the GSMA. Module makers must keep an IMEI mapping to each customer, and notebook or tablet integrators a model to IMEI mapping, both available to operators on request (PPMD 8.2.2.2, 8.4).

Q: How much does PTCRB certification cost?

The CTIA Certification fee is set in PPMD V4.2, Section 11.3.1.11: $12,500 for an Initial Certification ($15,000 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing), $7,500 for a product using a Certified Chipset, $1,500 for an embedded modem, notebook or tablet using a certified module, $3,125 for a Variant. Lab testing fees are set by each lab and not published.

Hugues Orgitello updated 7 Oct 2026 11 min read

Twenty questions on PTCRB certification, answered from the documents in force on October 7, 2026: the Program Management Document PPMD V4.2 and the technical requirements NAPRD03 V6.26, both dated October 2026. Six themes: scope and operators, modules and end products, IMEI and identifiers, costs and timing, FCC and GCF comparisons, post-certification. A last section lists the claims these documents contradict, including some that earlier versions of this page made.

Scope and operators

What's the difference between PTCRB and FCC?

FCC equipment authorization is a legal requirement (47 CFR Part 2, Subpart J) for radio equipment marketed in the United States; ISED plays that role in Canada. PTCRB is an industry certification administered by CTIA Certification against the PPMD (process) and NAPRD03 (technical requirements). The two are separate, and the PTCRB request itself asks for the FCC ID (US), the ISED ID (Canada) or another national ID of the device (PPMD 11.3.1.3). The "Get Certified" page of ptcrb.com tells manufacturers to comply with government regulations in their target markets before submitting the PTCRB request.

Who are the operators behind PTCRB?

On October 7, 2026 the About page of ptcrb.com listed 17 participating operators: Ameren, AT&T, Bell, Eastlink, EchoStar, FirstNet, KORE, Rogers, Sateliot, Skylo, Southern Linc, Starlink, Telus, T-Mobile, Verizon, Viasat and Vidéotron. The program is administered by CTIA Certification and managed by the PTCRB Working Group. Taking part in the Working Group requires membership of CTIA or of the CTIA Certification Program Working Group (PPMD Section 3); any manufacturer may submit a device, without membership (PPMD 1.1).

Must my cellular product pass PTCRB?

Not by law. PPMD V4.2, Section 1.1, calls the process "recommended" for all manufacturers whose devices are expected to operate on the networks of the participating operators. The obligation comes from each operator's own terms. AT&T, for example, states on the IoT Network Certified site that getting AT&T Network Ready "means first getting IoT Network Certified". The "Get Certified" page also asks manufacturers to check whether the device needs additional operator-specific testing.

Modules and end products

What's the difference between module certification and device certification?

Since PPMD V4.0 (October 2025), the split is by product type:

Product	Route	CTIA Certification fee (PPMD V4.2, 11.3.1.11)
Module, phone, tablet or IoT chipset	PTCRB Initial	$12,500 ($15,000 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing)
Module or end product using a Certified Chipset	PTCRB Initial	$7,500 ($10,000 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing)
Embedded modem, notebook or tablet using a certified module	PTCRB Initial	$1,500 ($2,125 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing)
IoT device built on a certified module	IoT Network Certified	Set in the How to Get IoT Network Certified guide, not in the PPMD

Except notebooks and tablets, devices incorporating a module or embedded modem are submitted for IoT Network Certified (PPMD 11.3.1.3). Certified Chipset results can only be leveraged for LTE-M and NB-IoT, and an FR2 module cannot complete its RRM and RF testing at module level: that testing moves to the end product.

My module is already PTCRB-certified, what does that change?

For an IoT product, you go through IoT Network Certified and leverage the module results rather than running a full PTCRB campaign. RF performance evaluation (OTA radiated performance, CTIA test plan) remains mandatory for all device types going through PTCRB or IoT Network Certified (NAPRD03 2.9).

For a notebook or tablet, the platform is tested against the same NAPRD03 version as the one used to certify the module. That version stays valid for three years, provided the module runs the same software as at certification; after three years the module must re-certify to the latest NAPRD03 before it can be used in new platforms (PPMD 11.11.2).

What happens with 2G and 3G?

Date	Event	Source
July 1, 2022	T-Mobile 3G UMTS network retired	T-Mobile network evolution page
October 2025	GSM requirements removed from the PPMD (V4.0)	PPMD V4.2 revision history
December 2025	GERAN and UTRA radiated spurious emission requirements removed from four sections (PPMD V4.1)	PPMD V4.2 revision history
August 3, 2026	Retirement date T-Mobile set for its 2G GSM network	T-Mobile network evolution page
October 2026	UTRA Bands II and V still listed as PTCRB bands	NAPRD03 V6.26, Table 2.8-1

PPMD V4.2 covers UTRA, E-UTRA (including LTE-M and NB-IoT), NR and NTN devices. A product designed today for a long life should rely on those technologies; check each target operator's own network roadmap.

IMEI and identifiers

What is an IMEI TAC?

The Type Allocation Code (TAC) is the first 8 digits of the IMEI. For PTCRB devices it is issued by CTIA Certification, which acts as IMEI Administrator and GSMA Reporting Body (PPMD Section 2). The rules in PPMD Section 8:

One TAC covers 1,000,000 units; a manufacturer producing more uses an additional TAC.
A TAC cannot be shared across model numbers; each Variant needs its own TAC.
A TAC request is reserved for 120 days; if the device is not certified by then, the TAC is revoked.
A test IMEI is for prototypes only and cannot be used for the final certification.
The GSMA charges its own fees for TAC allocation.

How is an IMEI composed?

IMEI   = TAC (8) + serial number (6) + check digit (1) = 15 digits
IMEISV = TAC (8) + serial number (6) + SVN (2)         = 16 digits

In the PPMD, the first two TAC digits are the Reporting Body Identifier (01 for PTCRB production IMEIs, 00 for test IMEIs). The check digit is computed with the Luhn formula over the first 14 digits (3GPP TS 23.003). The software version number (SVN) runs from 00 to 98, 99 being reserved, and must be incremented when the radio or protocol layer software changes.

Who keeps track of IMEIs?

CTIA Certification places each IMEI (SV) on the Certified, Uncertified or Block list of the North American CEIR and sends it to the GSMA (PPMD 8.4). Two record-keeping duties fall on manufacturers (PPMD 8.2.2.2):

the module manufacturer keeps a complete IMEI mapping showing the manufacturer or distributor each IMEI was shipped to;
the notebook or tablet integrator keeps a complete model number to IMEI mapping.

Both must be made available to network operators on request.

Costs and timing

How much does PTCRB certification cost?

The official CTIA Certification fee is set in PPMD V4.2, Section 11.3.1.11:

Request	Fee	With Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing
Initial Certification	$12,500	$15,000
Module or end product using a Certified Chipset	$7,500	$10,000
Embedded modem, notebook or tablet using a certified module	$1,500	$2,125
Variant	$3,125	$3,750
Rebranding	$3,125
Each Subset beyond the first (Superset Device)	$3,125

Payment is required before the certification is issued. Lab testing fees are set independently by each lab, and neither PTCRB nor CTIA Certification publishes figures for them; ask several PTCRB Authorized Test Labs for quotes. Operator-specific programs and GSMA TAC fees come on top.

How long does PTCRB certification take?

PTCRB publishes no standard duration: the "Get Certified" page says certification time depends on the type of device and on whether test results from related devices can be leveraged. The time rules that do exist:

Rule	Value	Source
IMEI TAC reservation	120 days, then revoked if the device is not certified	PPMD 8.6
NAPRD03 release cadence	Four times a year	PPMD 5.2
NAPRD03 version to test against	One of the two most recent versions	PPMD 5.2
New test cases	Category E for at least 90 days before they can become Category A	PPMD 5.5.3
Public listing	At certification or 1 to 365 days later, chosen by the manufacturer	PPMD 11.3.1.12
Module NAPRD03 version for notebooks and tablets	Valid three years if the module software is unchanged	PPMD 11.11.2

What about Mexico?

Mexico has its own homologation regime, separate from PTCRB. The Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law, published in the DOF on July 16, 2025, created the Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT); since October 17, 2025 the IFT no longer exists and the CRT holds the homologation role. No Mexican operator appears in the PTCRB participating operator list. See NOM and homologation in Mexico.

FCC, GCF and operator programs

Is my cellular product also subject to FCC?

Yes, if it is marketed in the United States: equipment authorization under 47 CFR Part 2, Subpart J, granted by the FCC or by a TCB, with the technical rule part that matches each band. FCC testing and PTCRB testing are separate campaigns against separate documents: PTCRB relies on 3GPP conformance specifications (TS 36.521, TS 38.521 and others) and CTIA Certification test plans, not on the FCC rule parts. See FCC ID, grantee and TCB.

What's the difference between PTCRB and GCF?

GCF (Global Certification Forum) is a separate scheme with its own criteria, recognised labs and field trials. The two connect at one point written into NAPRD03: GCF test results for GCF bands (bands not listed in PVG.11) are recognised as a substitute for PTCRB results, provided the GCF lab that ran them is at least an active Observing member of the PTCRB Validation Group. The PPMD also commits PTCRB to harmonise with GCF when opportunities arise.

What European operators ask for varies and must be checked operator by operator. The Deutsche Telekom process deck states that DT does not require module suppliers to present GCF certification; GCF status decides whether a module reaches Full or Limited certification. See Deutsche Telekom IoT acceptance and PTCRB and GCF compared.

Can a product certified only under GCF be sold in the US without PTCRB?

The legal requirement is FCC authorization, not PTCRB. Network acceptance is the operators' decision, and the PTCRB operators that require certification expect PTCRB, or IoT Network Certified for IoT devices. GCF results still count: NAPRD03 accepts them for GCF bands, but the PTCRB bands (for example LTE Bands 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 66 and 71) must be tested under PTCRB rules.

What is Verizon Open Development?

Verizon, a PTCRB participating operator, runs its own Open Development device certification in addition to the industry certification. Its requirements are covered in the Verizon Open Development guide.

Post-certification

Does PTCRB assess cybersecurity?

Only as an option for IoT devices. NAPRD03 V6.26, Section 4.2, references the CTIA Cybersecurity Certification Test Plan for IoT Devices. The testing is optional and applies only to IoT devices: the manufacturer asks its target operators whether they require it. It is mandatory for IoT Network Certified for Smart Connected Infrastructure, which NAPRD03 recommends for devices in critical infrastructure applications. This is separate from the EU cybersecurity requirements under RED Article 3(3)(d)(e)(f), applicable since August 1, 2025.

How does operator acceptance work after PTCRB?

Operators that use PTCRB may add their own programs, such as AT&T Network Ready, Verizon Open Development or the T-Mobile device certification. For carrier aggregation, NAPRD03 only requires the combinations on the target operators' priority lists, unless an operator asks for more. Check each target operator's requirements before choosing the Primary Test Laboratory.

What happens after certification when firmware or hardware changes?

An ECO (Engineering Change Order) certification request is required for (PPMD 11.6.1):

any change to the hardware or hardware version;
any change of the radio or protocol stack that changes the software version or SVN;
any recompilation of the radio or protocol stack.

A security-only patch to the radio software, or an MMI update that does not touch radio or protocol functions, does not need a new SVN. The Primary Test Laboratory decides whether full or partial retesting is needed (PPMD 11.6.4). Software loaded by FOTA must bit-match certified software, otherwise it must itself be certified (PPMD 11.3.2).

How often do the PTCRB requirements change?

NAPRD03 is released four times a year, and a device must complete the tests of one of the two most recent versions. The PPMD may be released at any time and each new version supersedes all previous ones. The latest change log: PPMD V4.2 (October 2026) renamed "UICC-UE" to "UICC-Terminal" and added Mission Critical Services to Section 11.3.1.7. See the news item on the V4 restructure.

Claims the texts contradict

Common claim (including on earlier versions of this page)	What the documents say
"PTCRB is mandatory; without it the product cannot be homologated"	PPMD 1.1 calls the process "recommended"; any obligation comes from each operator's terms
"An IoT product on a certified module passes a reduced PTCRB device certification"	Since PPMD V4.0 (October 2025), IoT devices go through IoT Network Certified; only notebooks and tablets with a certified module stay in PTCRB
"16 operators are listed on ptcrb.com"	17 participating operators were listed on October 7, 2026
"The official fees are set in PPMD V4.1"	PPMD V4.2 (October 2026) is in force and supersedes all previous versions
"A 4G LTE module takes 6 to 9 months, a 5G module 8 to 12 months"	No PTCRB or CTIA Certification document gives a duration; ptcrb.com says it depends on device type and leverage
"A full module campaign costs $80,000 to $200,000"	Lab fees are set by each lab; no PTCRB document publishes a range. Only the CTIA Certification fee is official
"Many European operators (Orange, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom) require GCF"	The DT process deck says DT does not require module suppliers to present GCF certification; requirements vary by operator
"GCF is not recognised by North American operators"	NAPRD03 accepts GCF results for GCF bands under conditions
"FCC and PTCRB share many tests, notably 3GPP RF conformance"	FCC tests follow the 47 CFR rule parts; 3GPP conformance tests belong to PTCRB
"Mexico's regulator is the IFT"	The IFT was extinguished on October 17, 2025; the CRT now holds the homologation role
"Keep the file 5 to 10 years after end of production"	The PPMD sets no retention period; it requires IMEI mappings to be available to operators on request