# Before the

# Federal Communications Commission

# Washington, D.C. 20554

)

Amendment of Sections 15.107 and 15.109 of )

the Commission's Rules Regarding Emissions )

From Digital Devices )

)

# ORDER

#####  Adopted: February 27, 2001 Released: February 28, 2001

By the Office of Engineering and Technology:

1\. On December 3, 1999, the Information Technology Industry Council
("ITI") filed a request to amend 47 C.F.R. Sections 15.107(e) and
15.109(g)[^1] of the Commission's rules regarding limits on conducted
and radiated emissions from unintentional radiators in order to update
the references to Publication 22 of the International Electrotechnical
Commission ("IEC"), International Special Committee on Radio
Interference ("CISPR").[^2] Currently, the Commission rules reference
the First Edition of CISPR Publication 22 (1985) along with several
Draft International Standards ("DIS") that were adopted in 1992. ITI
points out that the First Edition of CISPR Publication 22 is no longer
published and is becoming difficult to find. Accordingly, ITI requests
that the Commission amend its rules to reference the Third Edition of
CISPR Publication 22 (1997). ITI also requests that the Commission
specifically exclude the limits in CISPR Publication 22 (1997) for
conducted common mode disturbance at telecommunications ports. ITI adds
that such testing would require the use of stabilization networks that
generally are not available. Further, ITI is not aware of any history of
interference complaints in this area.

2\. We note that the standards contained in CISPR Publication 22 (1997)
on the amount of energy allowed to be conducted onto the public utility
(AC) power lines or radiated from a device are the same as those
contained in CISPR Publication 22 (1985) as amended by the 1992 Draft
International Standards. Thus, amending the rules to reference CISPR
Publication 22 (1997) would not result in a change to the regulations
and would simplify the task of obtaining copies of this publication. We
also note that the existing references within the Commission's rules to
the CISPR Publication 22 standards apply only to the levels of emissions
conducted onto AC power lines and to the levels of emissions radiated
from a digital device. Accordingly, there is no limit in the
Commission's rules for conducted common mode disturbance at
telecommunications ports. Therefore, for the sake of clarity we will
incorporate ITI's suggested language excluding the limits in CISPR
Publication 22 for conducted common mode disturbance at
telecommunications ports.

3\. In accordance with Section 553 of the Administrative Procedures
Act,[^3] a Notice of Proposed Rule Making is not required when the
agency for good cause finds, and incorporates the finding and a brief
statement of reasons therefore in the rules issued, that notice and
public procedure thereon are unnecessary. In this case, we find that the
amendment to the regulations does not result in any changes to the
equipment standards. The amendment is ministerial in nature and is being
made only to reference a more recent publication so as to facilitate
obtaining these standards. Accordingly, public notice and comment are
not necessary.

4\. IT IS ORDERED that Part 15 of the Commission\'s Rules and
Regulations IS AMENDED as specified in Appendix A, effective 30 days
after publication in the Federal Register. This action is taken pursuant
to the authority found in Sections 0.31 and 0.241 of the
regulations.[^4]

5\. For further information regarding this *Order*, contact John A.
Reed, Office of Engineering and Technology, (202) 418-2455,
<jreed@fcc.gov>.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Bruce Franca

#  Acting Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology 

# Appendix A

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications
Commission amends 47 CFR part 15 as follows:

1\. The authority citation for Part 15 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 302, 303, 304, 307 and 544A.

2\. Section 15.107 is amended by revising paragraph (e) and by adding a
new paragraph (e)(3), to read as follows:

§ 15.107 [Conducted limits]{.underline}.

\* \* \* \* \*

\(e\) As an alternative to the conducted limits shown in paragraphs (a)
and (b) of this section, digital devices may be shown to comply with the
standards contained in the Third Edition of International
Electrotechnical Commission ("IEC"), International Special Committee on
Radio Interference (CISPR) Pub. 22 (1997), "Information Technology
Equipment -- Radio Disturbance Characteristics - Limits and Methods."
This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the
Federal Register in accordance with 5 USC Section 552(a) and 1 CFR Part
51. Copies of CISPR publications may be purchased from Global
Engineering Documents, P. O. Box 8500 (S-4485), Philadelphia, PA
19178-4485, (303) 792-2181 or (800) 624-3974. Copies also may be
inspected, but not reproduced, during normal business hours at the
following locations: (1) Federal Communications Commission, Reference
Information Center, 445 12^th^ Street, S.W., Room CY--A257, Washington,
D.C., and (2) Office of the Federal Register, 800 N. Capitol Street,
N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C. In addition:

\* \* \* \* \*

\(3\) Part 15 devices are not subject to the CISPR 22 limits on
conducted common mode disturbance at telecommunication ports, as shown
in Section 5.2 , Tables 3 and 4.

\* \* \* \* \*

3\. Section 15.109 is amended by revising paragraph (g), to read as
follows:

§ 15.109 [Radiated emission limits]{.underline}.

\* \* \* \* \*

\(g\) As an alternative to the radiated emission limits shown in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, digital devices may be shown to
comply with the standards contained in the Third Edition of
International Electrotechnical Commission ("IEC"), International Special
Committee on Radio Interference (CISPR) Pub. 22 (1997), "Information
Technology Equipment - Radio Disturbance Characteristics - Limits and
Methods of Measurement." This incorporation by reference was approved by
the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 USC Section
552(a) and 1 CFR Part 51. Copies of CISPR publications may be purchased
from the Global Engineering Documents, P. O. Box 8500 (S-4485),
Philadelphia, PA 19178-4485, (303) 792-2181 or (800) 624-3974. Copies
also may be inspected, but not reproduced, during normal business hours
at the following locations: (1) Federal Communications Commission,
Reference Information Center, Room CY--A257, 445 12^th^ Street, S.W.,
Washington, D.C., and (2) Office of the Federal Register, 800 N. Capitol
Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C.

\* \* \* \* \*

[^1]: Section 15.107 contains limits on the amount of radio frequency
    energy that is permitted to be conducted onto the public utility
    (AC) power lines. Section 15.109 contains limits on the amount of
    radio frequency energy that is permitted to be radiated by a device.
    The provisions in Sections 15.107(e) and 15.109(g) apply only to
    digital devices.

[^2]: *See* IEC CISPR 22, *Information Technology Equipment -- Radio
    Disturbance Characteristics - Limits and Methods of Measurement*,
    International Electrotechnical Commission, International Special
    Committee on Radio Interference.

[^3]: 5 U.S.C. Section 553(b)(B).

[^4]: *See* 47 C.F.R. Sections 0.31 and 0.241