Will this product still be complaint after 14 December 2028?
If this product continues to be sold or introduced after the 2028 application date, will it be compliant or not? Product teams should review both existing and planned products now, particularly those with long development, production or deployment cycles.
Identifying which products could be affected early gives teams more time to understand whether changes may be required and how those changes fit into the wider product roadmap.
Related reading: EU Regulation 2025/2052: What It Means for CPE Power Supplies and Operators
Does this product need USB-C, or can it legitimately remain with a barrel connector?
It is important not to assume that every product will require the same transition plan.
Each CPE platform should be assessed individually to understand whether USB-C is required or whether there is a legitimate route for the existing barrel connector architecture to remain.
That distinction matters. Moving too quickly could result in unnecessary redesign efforts that could be avoided through careful transition planning.
The starting point should therefore be a product-by-product assessment rather than a blanket decision across the entire portfolio.
Related reading: Legacy Transition: Enabling USB-C Power for Existing CPE Platforms
Who is responsible for USB-C PD negotiation: the CPE or the power supply?
Traditional DC jack power supplies have an established and well-proven design and qualification process. USB-C and PD power supplies will now require a new collaborative approach for system level power design, qualification and approvals.
Clarifying this early can help avoid a situation where responsibility for a critical part of the power architecture is assumed rather than deliberately designed into the system.
Have you selected the optimum USB-C PD voltage for your product?
Choosing a USB-C PD voltage should not simply be treated as a case of carrying an existing power architecture across to a new connector.
Product teams can now consider which voltage is most appropriate for the specific requirements of the CPE platform and how that choice affects the wider system performance.
The right decision may depend on the product’s power requirements, existing architecture and the level of redesign involved.
Making that assessment early allows voltage selection to become a fundamental part of the product roadmap that could yield significant downstream benefits for Operators and end users.
Related reading: The Cost Implications of Current and Voltage in Power Supply Units
Will your existing power budget still work under USB-C PD current limits?
A product that works successfully with an existing DC power architecture should not automatically be assumed to behave in the same way when transitioned to USB-C.
Product teams could assess how legacy power architectures will fit into the new Power Delivery configurations and whether changes are required to their designs so they are confident that the proposed power architecture remains appropriate for how the product is expected to operate.
Related reading: USB-C Power Delivery Limitations in CPE
Have you considered what happens when customers use third-party USB-C chargers?
Moving to a widely recognised connector changes more than the physical interface. Customers may reasonably assume that another USB-C charger they already own can also power their CPE.
A common connector does not automatically mean identical power performance.
Product teams should therefore think beyond the supplied power solution and consider what happens when customers use third-party alternatives:
How will the product behave differently?
What happens if the charger is unsuitable?
What steps can we take to safeguard the user experience?
These questions matter not only from a technical perspective, but also for longer-term product safety and reliability.
Related reading: Why USB-C PD Power Supply Performance Matters for CPE Applications
Are you leaving enough time to redesign, certify and launch before the deadline?
14 December 2028 may still appear some distance away, but product development timelines can quickly reduce the amount of time available.
Where changes are required, operators and CPE product teams may need to account for redesign, testing, certification and launch before the application date.
Starting the assessment early gives teams more room to make considered technical and commercial decisions. Leaving it too late could mean making those same decisions under unnecessary time pressure.
