David Evans, IoT Solution Architect, Robustel touches upon the challenges associated with certifying 4G/5G IoT products
As the global demand for IoT connectivity grows, a critical but often overlooked challenge is certification. For 4G and 5G-enabled devices, the journey from lab to global deployment is rarely straightforward.
While Europe offers a streamlined path – fundamentally getting the ‘CE’ label on the box – the rest of the world presents a patchwork of certification regimes, frequency bands, and operator requirements—each with its own cost, timeline, and technical nuance.
This isn’t just a bureaucratic hurdle—it’s a strategic roadblock that affects time-to-market, hardware design, and the viability of global scale.
And the bottom line – do it wrong, and your hardware won’t clear customs!
Europe vs everywhere else
In the European Union, cellular certification is harmonised around CE compliance and GCF (Global Certification Forum) standards. This makes it relatively easy for manufacturers to bring devices to market across borders.
However, that simplicity rarely extends beyond EU borders. In markets like the United States, Australia, and many parts of Asia, cellular products must comply with a layered stack of certifications—regional regulators, mobile operators, and sometimes even city-level compliance requirements.
Europe is easy — deploying products outside the EU is not as simple and is often subject to a maze of certification requirements.
Global certification: a hidden cost
The direct costs can be substantial. FCC certification in the US might cost around $10,000. But getting operator approval from networks like AT&T or Verizon can add another $5,000 to $15,000—per network. And take years to finalise.
In Australia, ACMA certification can cost between $7,000 and $12,000, while countries like India, South Korea, and Brazil often require in-country testing that pushes costs to $20,000 or more— per market. These figures do not include retesting after firmware updates or modifications.
Cumulatively, IoT solution providers can easily face certification costs north of $100,000 when developing a product designed for many global markets.
Fragmented frequencies, fragmented SKUs
The complexity doesn’t stop at paperwork. The 4G/5G frequency bands are far from standardised. The EU’s B3, B7, and B20 are different from the US’ B12, B13, or B66. APAC introduces yet another variation.
This frequency fragmentation forces manufacturers to either build region-specific hardware (adding inventory and design overhead) or invest in global SKUs that support a wider set of bands. Either option adds complexity—but one offers a pathway to scale.
Time-to-market delays: the real risk
While budget overruns are visible, certification delays can be even more damaging. Missed seasonal windows, long pilot timelines, or delayed tenders can cost companies millions.
Global vendors now recognise certification timelines as a key factor in hardware strategy—not just a post-production formality.
Robustel: “We paid for the certifications so you don’t have to!”
Recognising the burden certification places on OEMs and system integrators, Robustel developed the R1520-GLOBAL—a cellular router designed from the ground up for multinational deployment.
Unlike region-specific devices, the R1520-GLOBAL is certified across major regulatory bodies and pre-approved for many Tier 1 mobile networks. It supports a broad range of LTE bands, dual-SIM failover, and robust remote management features via the company’s cloud platform, RCMS.
While no product can eliminate the need for all certifications entirely, Robustel’s solution reduces cost, simplifies procurement, and removes many of the technical unknowns from global rollout planning. It’s a case study in how vendors can shift from regional to truly global hardware models.
Lessons for OEMs and IoT developers
- Monitor sunset policies: as 2G and 3G networks shut down, certification strategies must evolve
- Plan for certification early: treat it as a parallel track to product development, not a final step
- Favour global SKUs where possible: they may increase upfront cost but reduce long-term complexity
- Lean on vendors with pre-certified hardware: especially those with proven operator relationships like Robustel
- Build in headroom for firmware changes: even minor updates can trigger recertification
David has 20 years of experience in technical sales and marketing with a focus in industrial and wireless automation. Much of this experience has been gained working on projects in the IoT / M2M space across a multitude of vertical markets.
Author: David Evans, IoT Solution Architect, Robustel
There’s plenty of other editorial on our sister site, Electronic Specifier! Or you can always join in the conversation by commenting below or visiting our LinkedIn page.
