End-of-Life Policy

EOL policy objectives

All products eventually arrive at the end of their life cycle. This may be due to new market demands or technological progress, but also product maturity, when the product needs to be replaced with a new, more functional technology. GBC Photonics recognises that companies are often compelled to perform an impact analysis of the use of such products, services or subscriptions in their networks. With that in mind, we would like to introduce the EOL product stages at GBC Photonics. The purpose is to ease the EOL transition and indicate the possible role of GBC Photonics in the process of migration to alternative technologies.

Policy scope

The GBC Photonics Product End-of-Life Policy (“Policy”) applies to all equipment, software, services and maintenance support offered by GBC Photonics (collectively: "Products") that have their unique product component number or a “PN” product ID. Product versions or releases without a unique “PN” are not covered by this Policy. The Policy covers all new EOL notifications issued after 30 September 2023. It does not apply to any GBC Photonics Products that are already covered by an EOL notification issued on or before 30 September 2023.

EOL Policy

EOL Policy stages:

    • An end-of-sales notification is usually issued six (6) months before the End of Sales Date (“EOS”), which is understood as a date beyond which a given GBC Photonics product can no longer be purchased. The notification is published on the GBC Photonics website. Please visit the site regularly for useful EOL information related to GBC Photonics products.
    • No services (including renewals) with a period that goes beyond the Last Day of Support (“LDOS”) will be sold after the EOL Notification Date.
    • The last shipment date will be three (3) months after the relevant product’s EOS date.

GBC Photonics will provide all clients with active contracts with the following support:

  • One (1) year (starting from the EOS date) of routine equipment failure analysis.
  • One (1) year (starting from the EOS date) of bug correction, maintenance releases and critical error updates, when they are submitted for technical support. After the first year, GBC Photonics will continue to provide software bug correction services and updates, as long as they are available, for one (1) more year. Clients may be required to install a more recent version of the software in order to obtain the technical support in question.
  • Two (2) years (starting from the EOS date) of technical support for software, except the final software version operating on the EOS equipment, as indicated below.
  • Five (5) years (starting from the EOS date) of technical support for equipment. Technical support for the final version of the software operating on the EOS equipment will be equivalent to the equipment’s LDOS.
  • Five (5) years (starting from the EOS date) of spare parts delivery for Products, in accordance with Salumanus’ Return Material Authorisation (RMA) process.

Clients may:

Upon prior communication, sign a new technical support agreement covering their equipment (including software) for max. one (1) year from the EOS date, provided that the agreement end date does not go beyond the LDOS. Renew the technical support agreement for their equipment (including software), provided that the agreement end date does not exceed the LDOS.

EOL Policy stages:

Definitions:

End of Life (EOL) – a process that determines the final business operations related to the life cycle of GBC Photonics products. The phase-out process consists of a series of technological and business stages and actions, at the end of which the Product becomes obsolete. An obsolete Product is no longer sold, improved, maintained or serviced.

End of Sales (EOS) date – a date after which the Product is no longer sold. This is also the last date on which the Product may still be ordered via the sales mechanisms offered by Salumanus. The EOS date is documented in the EOL notification.

EOL Notification Date – the date on which the end of sales and the product phase-out stages are publicly announced.

Last Date of Support (LDOS) – the date of the end of support, defined in accordance with active maintenance agreements covering GBC Photonics equipment and services. Beyond this date, no support is offered.

Return Material Authorisation (RMA) – a modern system for submitting online maintenance requests, which also allows clients to track equipment repair progress.

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