Experimental License

Who Needs This Service

R&D labs, universities, telecom and IoT startups, equipment makers testing new radios and organisations running technology trials need experimental licences.

Companies planning field trials of 5G or IoT equipment need appropriate categories.

If your equipment uses licence-exempt bands, ETA may be enough.

Outdoor radiating trials need careful planning.

Key Benefits

• Right trial category chosen
• Documents and test plan prepared
• Saral Sanchar filing
• Frequency and siting guidance
• Compliance during trials

Next Steps & Related Services

After the licence, operate within conditions. Related services: ETA, Demo licence, VHF and UHF licences and MTCTE.

Common Mistakes

• Running trials without licence.
• Wrong category.
• Exceeding power or location limits.
• Missing renewal.
• Ignoring 2026 changes.

Timeline, Costs & Practical Tips

Timelines vary by category.

Practical tip: share a clear test plan.

Additional Information

WPC licences control experimental use of spectrum.

Practical Scenarios

Scenario 1:

A university tests a radio.

Scenario 2:

A startup runs an outdoor trial.

Scenario 3:

A vendor tests a prototype.

Process & Planning

For an experimental licence, start with the experiment design: what equipment, which frequency, what power, indoors or outdoors, for how long and where. Choose the category listed in DoT's orders, such as non-radiating or radiating trials, register on Saral Sanchar, upload the technical documents and test plan and pay the fee. WPC may coordinate frequency and siting before granting the licence. Planning checklist: keep the trial small and well defined, confirm whether your device could instead use a licence-exempt band with ETA, obtain equipment approvals or import undertakings before the trial, follow licence conditions strictly and check how the 2026 changes to Telegraph Act licences affect your application.

Practical Guidance

The experimental licence category covers more situations than many engineers realise. DoT's orders list categories such as indoor non-radiating, indoor radiating, outdoor radiating and technology trials, and each has its own conditions. A test inside a shielded lab with no radiation is very different from an outdoor field trial with active transmission, and the approvals, siting clearances and durations reflect that.

When preparing an application, describe the experiment clearly: objectives, equipment, frequency, power, antenna, location, duration and safeguards against interference. Provide technical documents and, where relevant, equipment approvals or import undertakings. For outdoor radiating setups, siting clearance may be needed through the usual WPC processes. Keep the scope tight, because licences are specific and operating beyond them is a violation.

Because a DoT notice in 2026 refers to changes affecting Telegraph Act-based licences, check the live portal for the current process and whether experimental licences are handled in the same way. After the trial, report as required, surrender or let the licence lapse as instructed and keep records of results, since they may be useful for later commercial licence applications or equipment approvals.