GSO 2693:2022 full name is GCC Terrestrial Radio Receiver Specification for AM/FM/T-DAB+, officially released on May 12, 2022 by Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) with document No. GSO:803170.

It is worth noting that GSO officially issued GSO 2693:2026 on April 30, 2026 as the second revised edition, upgraded to Gulf Technical Regulation which is the currently prevailing valid standard. The 2022 version is still acceptable for market access temporarily, while local implementation schedules differ among all GCC member states. Manufacturers shall confirm the applicable standard version with local regulatory authorities before launching certification projects.

1. Core Functions of GSO Organization

GSO stands for Gulf Standardization Organization, a regional standardization alliance jointly established by all GCC member states, unifying technical standards and market access regulations for Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.

GSO releases two types of official documents:

·Gulf Standard: Recommended standard framework, member states decide independently whether to incorporate it into domestic mandatory regulations

·Gulf Technical Regulation: Mandatory regional technical rules, all member states must implement and enforce domesticallyGSO 2693:2022 belongs to Gulf Standard, while the 2026 updated version is upgraded to mandatory Gulf Technical Regulation.

  2. Coverage Scope of GSO 2693:2022 Standard

This specification applies to all manufacturers, producers, importers and distributors who sell terrestrial radio receivers or products built-in radio receiving modules in GCC member countries.

Three mainstream broadcast signal types are fully regulated:

·AM: Amplitude Modulation broadcast including medium wave and shortwave traditional analog broadcast

·FM: Frequency Modulation stereo broadcast, mainstream broadcast format for household and in-vehicle radio products exported to GCC regions

·T-DAB+: Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcast Plus, widely popularized in Europe and rapidly promoted with complete infrastructure construction across Gulf regions

Key exclusion rule: This standard only controls terrestrial signal receiving equipment. Devices receiving broadcast via internet streaming or satellite signals are not within the supervision scope.

  3. Core Technical Requirements of GSO 2693:2022

·RF receiving performance: Sensitivity, adjacent channel anti-interference capability, frequency tuning accuracy and other core radio frequency indicators

·Exclusive T-DAB+ specifications: Bit error rate control, service list identification, audio decoding compatibility and compliance with ETSI EN 300 401 DAB+ transmission standards

·Audio performance indicators: Unified quality requirements for both analog and digital audio output

·EMC electromagnetic compatibility: Restrict excessive radio interference to surrounding electronic devices

·In-vehicle dedicated functions: Mandatory emergency warning broadcast receiving & trigger function for automotive radio equipment, implementation rules vary by country

  4. Independent Implementation Rules of Six GCC Member States

GSO unified standards are only regional coordination frameworks, each country has independent regulatory institutions and separate type approval procedures. One single certificate cannot cover all six GCC markets.

·Saudi Arabia: CITC manages radio type approval, SASO takes charge of unified regulation implementation

·UAE: TDRA (formerly TRA) is the exclusive authority for wireless equipment market access

·Bahrain: In charge by local TRA, adopt domestic standard BH GSO 2693:2023

·Kuwait: Managed by CITRA, implement KWS GSO 2693:2023

·Qatar & Oman: Execute unified GSO technical requirements with independent application systems and approval processes

Practical tip: Qualified lab test reports can be reused for multi-country applications, but labs must be listed in the official recognized white list of target countries. All member states issue independent official certificates without mutual recognition mechanism.

  5. Core Differences Between GSO 2693:2022 and GSO 2693:2026

The biggest difference lies in regulatory attribute: the 2022 edition is recommended industry standard, while the 2026 new edition is upgraded to mandatory Gulf Technical Regulation with stronger regional enforcement force.

All GCC countries are still in the version transition period with inconsistent local official execution dates. Export enterprises must confirm the latest enforced standard version before certification application to avoid secondary retesting caused by version updates.

For GSO 2693:2022 certification, GCC multi-country DAB certification and Saudi Arabia DAB certification service, please contact Blueasia Technology consultant Benson: 13534225140