Washington Laboratories (301) web: Lindbergh Dr. Gaithersburg, MD Opening the Door William H. Graff, AmericanTCB

Opening the Door William H. Graff oPresident and Director of Engineering o Major Chen oManager East Asia Branch Office o Jerry Lee oManager China Branch Office o o

Why are there regulations? The radio frequency spectrum is limited, natural resource. This resource must be protected from “pollution” This pollution can be either natural or man-made.

FCC 法规减少电磁干扰 FCC RULES REDUCE ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE Radiated Conducted

1920’s American Electronics Public fascination in early experiments with voice over radio waves created a demand for radio receivers and broadcast content. Manufacturers began mass production of radio receivers in response to public demand.

Confusion in the marketplace Radio transmitters and receivers were created in a completely unregulated and immature market. Broadcasters and consumers increasingly found themselves troubled by interference.

Realization and maturity Eventually the radio spectrum became almost unusable by consumers and broadcasters Increased public awareness of interference led to political pressures.

Decisions In 1934 the Congress of the United States declared the airwaves the property of the people and created the FCC as the responsible agency for managing the radio frequency spectrum.

Fast forward to Today Today the FCC has dominion over all devices which create or use radio frequency energy within the frequency range of 10KHz to 300GHz. The core mission of the FCC remains regulating interference pollution.

Classifications Transmitters used for communication. oLicensed and protected oUnlicensed unprotected Low Power Computers and Radio Receivers. oUnintended Radio Sources Industrial, Scientific and Medical oRF sources not used for communications, but used for work

Important Exceptions FCC does not regulate safety. This is handled by private enterprise. FCC does not set consumer performance standards. FCC has in place regulations for telephone terminal equipment, but in recent years has transferred much to the private sector.

International Regulations Most other developed countries have copied in some fashion the regulatory model of the FCC. Many have included performance and safety issues into their regulatory scheme.

International cooperation Since radio waves cannot be kept within political borders, international cooperation has proven essential as equipment which utilizes RF energies has evolved. Coordination of limits and spectrum assignments has proven very useful.

A Success Story International cooperation has been greatest in the standardizing of emission limits from computing equipment. Test laboratories across the world have a nearly universal standard for characterizing unintended RF “pollution”.

Acceptance of Test Data International agreements between governments have allowed test data from one country to be accepted by another. For USA, a laboratory listed with the FCC database is eligible to submit data to be used for Certification.

Mutual Recognition Agreements MRAs take the process one step closer. They allow countries to authorize equipment on their own without the need for excessive regulation. oLaboratories in countries with MRAs with USA can perform Declaration of Conformity if accredited. For USA this equipment is marked with “FCC Logo”.

Important Note: MRA and China Since no MRA yet exists with US and China, test laboratories cannot do complete equipment authorizations on their own. However, they are still free to submit test data leading to Certification. oi.e: China laboratories cannot yet perform a DofC for the US market

Equipment Authorizations Manufacturers should be aware of the different types of Equipment Authorizations oCertification oDeclaration of Conformity oVerification

Certification Certification is a process where a product is tested to applicable FCC radio law, and the Test Report along with all applicable exhibits are submitted to an authorized agency. Documents are reviewed. If accepted, a Grant will be issued and the device will be listed in FCC database.

FCC Website and Database

What is a Grant? A Grant of Equipment Authorization is a document which shows acceptability to US radio law. It is required by Customs before a device can be imported into the USA. Grants are only issued once all Exhibits are received and approved

Required Exhibits(always) oApplication FormApplication Form oExternal PhotographsExternal Photographs oInternal PhotographsInternal Photographs oSchematicsSchematics oElectrical Block DiagramElectrical Block Diagram oOperational DescriptionOperational Description oLabel and LocationLabelLocation oTest ReportTest Report oTest Setup PhotographsTest Setup Photographs oManualManual

Additional Exhibits (rule dependent) oConfidentiality Request Letter oRF Safety Report (SAR or MPE) oRule specific attestations oParts List oTune-Up Procedure

So how does the process work? CERTIFICATION: Test Product at quality laboratory Create report with Technical Information Send report, Exhibits and Application to ATCB Receive Grant with FCC ID Number

Steps Required for New Applicant oGet an FRN o(Federal Registration Number) oGet a Grantee code o(Online cost is $55USD) oHave product tested by listed laboratory oSubmit data and all required exhibits to ATCB oAnswer questions promptly oReceive Grant oSell product

Obtain an FRN The FRN consists of a 10 digit number that uniquely identifies anyone who does business with FCC It is an important number that will be used in all transactions by the Applicant with FCC. Save it and keep it safe oStart at http: oClick on link at left side of screen oAnswer questions asked by the program

Purchase a Grantee Code An FCC ID: consists of a Grantee Code assigned by the Commission followed by 14 alphanumeric characters of the Applicant’s choosing. Any valid character 0~9, A~Z, plus “-” is acceptable. The Grantee Code is the Applicant’s unique identifier within the FCC equipment authorization database

Ready for Submission You should now have all the basic pieces for submission to the FCC using the TCB process. Kindly provide all required Exhibits along with the Test Report at your earliest convenience. Typical turn around time assuming all documents are complete and accurate should be within 3 business days or less.

Success! Once a valid Grant has been received and the Equipment Authorization process has been completed, it is now legal to sell the product in the USA.Grant

What if I try and cheat? The FCC is capable under law to make substantial penalties for any infraction of the law. These penalties can be as much as $11,000 for each item improperly sold. The FCC has as much power as Federal tax collectors (IRS) to take action against egregious violations.

Penalties can be severe Deliberate attempts to circumvent the process are viewed as serious violations. Even unknowing violations are viewed harshly. Product seizure, fines, and potential jail time are all possible.

How to choose a laboratory oLook for an Accredited laboratory. or: oLook on the FCC website for a listed lab ohttps://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/oetwl/index.html

How to choose a TCB Experience, Experience, Experience There is no substitute for experience with the FCC rules. AmericanTCB is one of the first 13 original TCBs to become operational in June, 2000 To date, we have Certified over 4000 products

Advantages of using ATCB Easy to use secure electronic internet interface Easy to track your Certification progress Archive of all your product Certification files maintained for 10 years

Support ATCB views a large portion of it’s mission is education. We hold seminars all over the world. ATCB will help you gain a clearer understanding of the FCC Rules. ATCB will happily assist in training of your staff. If you are making better filings our life becomes easier too.

Questions?