Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 23, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 28889 

(c) Tolerances with regional 

registrations. [Reserved] 

(d) Indirect or inadvertent residues. 

[Reserved] 

[FR Doc. E7–9912 Filed 5–22–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–S 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

47 CFR Part 15 

[ET Docket No. 03–201; FCC 07–56] 

Unlicensed Devices and Equipment 

Approval 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This document amends the 

Commission’s rules to provide for more 

efficient equipment authorization of 

both existing modular transmitter 

devices and emerging partitioned (or 

‘‘split’’) modular transmitter devices. 

These rule changes will benefit 

manufacturers by allowing greater 

flexibility in certifying equipment and 

providing relief from the need to obtain 

a new equipment authorization each 

time the same transmitter is installed in 

a different final product. The rule 

changes will also enable manufacturers 

to develop more flexible and more 

advanced unlicensed transmitter 

technologies. The Commission further 

finds that modular transmitter devices 

authorized in accordance with the 

revised equipment authorization 

procedures will not pose any increased 

risk of interference to other radio 

operations. 

DATES: Effective June 22, 2007, except 

for § 15.212, which contains information 

collection requirements that have not 

been approved by the Office of 

Management and Budget. The Federal 

Communications Commission will 

publish a document in the Federal 

Register announcing the effective date 

of this section. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Hugh Van Tuyl, Office of Engineering 

and Technology, (202) 418–7506, e-mail 

Hugh.VanTuyl@fcc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a 

summary of the Commission’s Second 

Report and Order, ET Docket No. 03–

201, FCC 07–56, adopted April 20, 2007, 

and released April 25, 2007. The full 

text of this document is available on the 

Commission’s Internet site at http:// 

www.fcc.gov. It is also available for 

inspection and copying during regular 

business hours in the FCC Reference 

Center (Room CY–A257), 445 12th 

Street., SW., Washington, DC 20554. 

The full text of this document also may 

be purchased from the Commission’s 

duplication contractor, Best Copy and 

Printing Inc., Portals II, 445 12th St., 

SW., Room CY–B402, Washington, DC 

20554; telephone (202) 488–5300; fax 

(202) 488–5563; e-mail 

FCC@BCPIWEB.COM. 

Summary of the Report and Order 

1. In the Second Report and Order the 

Commission codified the Public Notice, 

DA 00–1407, June 26, 2000, 

requirements for approving modular 

transmitters, with certain modifications. 

It also adopted requirements for the 

approval of split modular transmitters, 

including a requirement that only parts 

of a split module that have been 

approved in a single application for 

equipment authorization may operate 

together. Further, it allows 

manufacturers the flexibility to 

demonstrate alternative methods in the 

application for equipment authorization 

to ensure that a modular transmitter will 

meet all the applicable part 15 

requirements under the operating 

conditions in which it will be used. The 

Commission finds that the increased 

flexibility adopted will facilitate the 

approval process for modular 

transmitters and provide relief from the 

need to obtain a new equipment 

authorization each time the same 

transmitter is installed in a different 

final product, and will promote an 

increase in the development of part 15 

devices without increasing the potential 

for interference to authorized radio 

services. 

Single Unit Modular Transmitters 

2. The Commission codified the 

proposed requirements for approving 

single modular transmitters into the 

rules. This action will ensure that all 

equipment manufacturers are provided 

with adequate notice of the 

Commission’s requirements for 

obtaining modular transmitter 

approvals. The Commission adopted a 

definition for a modular transmitter. 

Specifically, a modular transmitter will 

be defined as a completely selfcontained radio-frequency transmitter 

device that is typically incorporated 

into another product, host or device. 

However, the Commission will not 

require ‘‘module-like devices’’ that 

contain part 15 transmitters to be 

approved as modular transmitters. 

Consistent with current Commission 

policy, it will continue to permit such 

devices to be approved as stand-alone 

transmitters under the present 

authorization procedures, although 

manufacturers may obtain approval for 

them as modules if they desire. 

3. The Commission recognizes that 

there may be circumstances where there 

are alternative means that will enable a 

modular transmitter to meet all 

applicable part 15 requirements under 

the operating conditions in which the 

transmitter will be used. Therefore, the 

Commission adopted a rule that states 

that modular transmitters do not have to 

comply with all of the approval 

requirements if the manufacturer can 

demonstrate by alternative means in the 

application for equipment authorization 

that the equipment complies with the 

part 15 rules. Specifically, the 

Commission will permit manufacturers 

flexibility with respect to the 

requirements such as module shielding, 

buffered modulation/data inputs and 

power supply regulation, because 

compliance with these requirements 

may not be necessary in specific module 

installations. Consistent with the Public 

Notice, the Commission may grant a 

‘‘Limited Modular Approval’’ in 

instances where the equipment does not 

meet all eight criteria for modular 

transmitters, but the grantee of 

equipment authorization can 

demonstrate that it will retain control 

over the final installation of the device 

such that compliance of the end product 

is assured. In such cases, the grantee 

must state how control of the end 

product into which the module will be 

installed will be maintained such that 

full compliance of the end product is 

always ensured. A limited modular 

approval is subject to conditions such as 

the device(s) into which the module can 

be installed, the antenna separation 

distance from persons or the locations 

where it may be used (e.g. outdoor 

only). 

4. To provide additional flexibility to 

manufacturers and to parties 

incorporating modular transmitters into 

other devices, the Commission will 

permit electronic labeling of modular 

transmitters in the same manner as it 

allows for software defined radios. The 

FCC identification number may be 

shown on an electronic display on the 

module itself if the module contains a 

display that is visible to the user, or 

more typically, it may be displayed on 

the device into which the module is 

installed, such as a laptop computer or 

PDA. The information must be readily 

accessible, and the user manual must 

describe how to access the electronic 

display. In addition to the electronic 

display, the Commission requires a 

simple label on the product indicating 

when a module is installed inside a host 

device to facilitate identification of 

equipment that contains modular 


cprice-sewell on PROD1PC71 with RULES
28890 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 23, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

transmitters. This approach will 

simplify the labeling procedure for 

parties that incorporate modules into 

other devices because they will not need 

to affix a different label on the outside 

of a device for each type of modular 

transmitter that may be installed inside. 

5. The Commission declines to make 

changes to the antenna connector 

requirements for modular transmitters. 

The Commission previously addressed 

this issue in the Report and Order, 69 

FR 54072, September 7, 2004, in this 

proceeding. It noted that the changes 

adopted in the Report and Order that 

allow intentional radiators to be 

authorized with multiple antenna types 

similarly apply to modular transmitters. 

6. The Commission declined to 

modify the rules to state that the host 

device manufacturer is responsible for 

meeting the requirements specified in 

the modular transmitter authorization. It 

is ultimately the responsibility of the 

grantee of equipment authorization to 

comply with the terms of the equipment 

authorization. The Commission notes 

that in the case of equipment requiring 

special accessories, the rules state that 

it is the responsibility of the user to use 

the needed special accessories that the 

grantee is required to supply with the 

equipment. It also notes that some 

parties are assembling devices that 

contain multiple approved modules that 

may interact with each other and may 

cause the host device to operate out of 

compliance with the Commission’s 

rules. In this case, the assembler is 

responsible for any interactions that 

cause the device to operate out of 

compliance with the Commission’s 

rules, while the grantee of the 

equipment authorization for each 

module remains responsible for the 

compliance of the module with the 

equipment authorization. If an 

assembler makes any changes to an 

approved module, it becomes the party 

responsible for compliance of that 

module and must obtain a new 

equipment authorization. 

Split Modular Transmitters 

7. A new class of split modular 

transmitters is now under development. 

These transmitters consist of two basic 

components: the radio front end and the 

firmware on which the software that 

controls the radio operation resides. The 

separation of modular devices into these 

components will provide manufacturers 

with flexibility to design a larger variety 

of modular systems by mixing and 

matching individual components. 

8. The Public Notice on modular 

transmitter approvals envisioned that a 

transmitter module would be a single 

component device, rather than split into 

two separate sections. Certain 

requirements in the Public Notice may 

not be appropriate or may be 

unnecessarily restrictive for split 

modules. Therefore, in the Notice of 

Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), the 

Commission proposed to modify the 

requirements for shielding, control 

information, and test procedures in the 

Public Notice to accommodate the 

special case of new split modules in 

which the antenna, radio front end, and 

firmware are independent of one 

another. 

9. The Commission adopted modified 

and additional approval requirements 

for split modules. These rules will 

provide manufacturers relief from the 

need to obtain a new equipment 

authorization each time the same split 

modular transmitter is installed in a 

different device. Reducing the 

authorization burden for split modular 

transmitters will encourage and enable 

manufacturers to develop more flexible 

and more advanced unlicensed 

transmitter technologies. The 

Commission also finds that, with 

appropriate safeguards, split modules 

may be authorized while continuing to 

ensure that final products comply with 

the Commission’s technical 

requirements. 

10. The Commission will use the term 

‘‘transmitter control element’’ in place 

of the proposed term ‘‘firmware’’ for 

split modular transmitters. The term 

firmware is generally used to describe 

computer instructions that are stored in 

a read-only memory. While that term 

may be appropriate for describing how 

transmitter functions are carried out in 

some split module implementations, it 

may not be appropriate in all cases. 

Thus, the Commission is using the more 

generic term ‘‘transmitter control 

element’’. 

11. For a split modular transmitter, 

there are three pieces that must be 

tested together. The first is the RF front 

end, which consists of the power 

amplifier, antenna, and possibly the 

circuitry that produces the modulation. 

The second piece is the transmitter 

control element, which may be on its 

own chip or circuit board, or which may 

consist of components incorporated into 

another device. The transmitter control 

element may produce the modulation 

rather than the RF front end. The third 

piece is the host device, such as a 

notebook computer or personal digital 

assistant, which will be used to link the 

first two pieces of the split module 

together. The Commission will use some 

judgment at the time of equipment 

authorization as to whether the host 

device with which a modular 

transmitter is tested is representative of 

the intended use(s) of that modular 

transmitter. 

12. The Commission adopted the 

proposed requirements that only the 

radio front end of a split module must 

be shielded. It does not believe that it 

is necessary to shield the transmitter 

control element because it is unlikely 

any stray RF energy to this circuitry 

would affect the emissions from the 

overall device. The adopted rules will 

allow the physical crystal and tuning 

capacitors to be located external to the 

shielded radio element. This approach 

recognizes that it would greatly 

complicate equipment design to shield 

the crystal and tuning capacitor and 

does not appear warranted by the 

negligible risk of any impact on the 

transmitter output. The Commission 

also adopted a requirement that the 

interface between sections of the split 

modular system must be digital with a 

minimum signaling amplitude of 150 

millivolts peak-to-peak. These 

requirements will help ensure that the 

interface between sections of a split 

module is immune to stray signals that 

could cause the module to operate out 

of compliance with the part 15 rules. 

While these requirements should be 

appropriate in most cases, the 

Commission recognizes the concerns of 

parties who request additional 

flexibility in meeting these 

requirements. Therefore, consistent with 

its actions for single modules, the 

Commission will permit manufacturers 

to demonstrate alternatives to these 

requirements that will ensure that the 

split modular transmitter complies with 

the part 15 rules. 

13. The Commission adopted a rule 

stating that control information and 

other data may be exchanged between 

the radio front end and transmitter 

control elements. The purpose of this 

rule is merely to clarify that in a split 

module, data may be sent not to just the 

module input as in a single module, but 

also between sections of the module. 

14. The Commission declines to 

define a reference platform or specific 

cable lengths for testing split modules as 

proposed in the NPRM. Because split 

modules are a new technology, the 

Commission concludes that it would be 

premature to specify detailed testing 

procedures that may not be applicable 

to all implementations and could 

inadvertently hinder development of 

this technology. Rather, it will require 

manufacturers to comply with the basic 

objective of demonstrating, through 

testing, that their split module 

equipment will comply with the 

applicable part 15 requirements (e.g., 

frequency, power, spurious emissions 

limits, and other rules). The 


cprice-sewell on PROD1PC71 with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 23, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 28891 

1See 5 U.S.C. 603. The RFA, see 5 U.S.C. 601–

612, has been amended by the Small Business 

Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 

(SBREFA), Pub. L. 104–121, Title II, 110 Stat. 857 

(1996). 

2See 5 U.S.C. 603, Title II, 110 Stat 857 (1996). 

Commission will provide manufacturers 

with the flexibility to perform testing on 

a platform that is representative of 

actual use, such as a laptop or PDA, but 

may require a manufacturer to perform 

testing on additional platforms if 

necessary to demonstrate that the 

equipment will comply under the 

conditions in which it will be used. The 

sections of a split module must be tested 

together as a system and will be 

authorized as a system with a single 

FCC identification number. 

15. The Commission declines to 

require a standard physical or logical 

interface between sections of a split 

module or to require the use of an 

industry standard. It now finds that 

such an action could hinder 

development of this nascent technology. 

Manufacturers are free to develop 

standard interfaces and use industry 

standards in designing split modules at 

their discretion. Parties may also mix 

and match radio front ends and 

transmitter control elements made by 

different manufacturers in split 

modules, but to ensure the compliance 

of these components as a module they 

must be tested and certified as a system 

on a platform representative of actual 

use. Each combination of radio front 

end and transmitter control elements 

must have its own FCC identification 

number that will indicate which party is 

responsible for compliance of the 

system. The Commission will not 

require a permanently affixed label on 

the transmitter control elements of a 

split module when electronic labeling is 

used, because the radio front end or 

transmitter control element may be 

integrated into another device, making 

physical labeling impractical. However, 

if electronic labeling is not used, the 

Commission will require a permanently 

affixed label to be located either on the 

radio front end, transmitter control 

elements, or the host device. 

16. Because split modules are tested 

for compliance and authorized as a 

system, the Commission finds that it is 

necessary to adopt requirements to 

ensure that only sections of a split 

module system that have been approved 

together may be used together in a 

device. Therefore, it adopted a general 

security requirement for split modules 

that is similar to the security 

requirement for software defined radios 

that ensures that only hardware and 

software that has been approved 

together may operate in a device. 

Specifically, the Commission requires 

that manufacturers take steps to ensure 

that only transmitter control elements 

and radio front end components that 

have been approved together are capable 

of operating together. It also requires 

that the split module not operate unless 

it has verified that the installed 

transmitter control elements and radio 

front end have been authorized together. 

The Commission will permit 

manufacturers to use means including, 

but not limited to, coding in hardware 

and electronic signatures in software to 

meet these requirements, and will 

require them to describe the methods for 

ensuring that components operate only 

when connected with other components 

included under the same equipment 

authorization in their application for 

equipment authorization. 

17. The Commission will not permit 

Telecommunication Certification Bodies 

(TCBs) to certify split modules at this 

time. Split modules are a new 

technology, and TCBs will not be 

permitted to certify them until the 

Commission has more experience with 

them and can properly advise TCBs on 

how to apply the applicable rules. The 

Commission’s Laboratory maintains a 

list of types of devices that TCBs are 

excluded from certifying and will place 

split modules on this list until the 

Laboratory determines that TCBs are 

capable of certifying them. 

Ordering Clauses 

18. Part 15 of the Commission’s rules 

is amended as specified in Appendix A, 

effective 30 days after publication in the 

Federal Register. The Second Report 

and Order contains information 

collection requirements subject to the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), Pub. L. 104–13, that are not 

effective until approved by the Office of 

Management and Budget. The Federal 

Communications Commission will 

publish a document in the Federal 

Register announcing the effective date 

of the rules. This action is taken 

pursuant to the authority contained in 

sections 1, 4(i), 303(f), and 303(r) of the 

Communications Act of 1934, as 

amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 303(f), 

and 303(r). 

19. The Commission’s Consumer and 

Governmental Affairs Bureau, Reference 

Information Center, shall send a copy of 

the Second Report and Order, including 

the Final Regulatory Flexibility 

Analysis, to the Government 

Accountability Office pursuant to the 

Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 

801(a)(1)(A). 

Supplemental Final Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis 

20. As required by the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act (RFA),1 an Initial 

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) 

was incorporated in the Notice of 

Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in this 

docket, ET Docket 03–201. The 

Commission sought written public 

comment on the proposals in the NPRM, 

including comment on the IRFA. This 

present Supplemental Final Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) conforms to 

the RFA.2

A. Need for, and Objectives of, the 

Second Report and Order 

21. In recent years, manufacturers 

have developed part 15 transmitter 

modules (or ‘‘single’’ modules) that can 

be incorporated into many different 

devices. A module generally consists of 

a completely self-contained radiofrequency transmitter missing only an 

input signal source and a power source 

to make it functional. Once a module is 

authorized by the Commission under its 

certification procedure, it may be 

incorporated into a number of host 

devices such as personal computers 

(PCs) or personal digital assistants 

(PDAs), which have been separately 

authorized. The completed product 

generally is not subject to requirements 

for further certification by the 

Commission. Therefore, modular 

transmitters save manufacturers the 

time and any related expenses that 

would be incurred if a new equipment 

authorization were needed for the same 

transmitter when it is installed in a new 

device. 

22. On June 26, 2000, the Commission 

released a Public Notice detailing eight 

criteria that must be met in order for the 

Commission to grant certification to a 

part 15 transmitter as a module. 

Specifically, the module must: (1) Have 

its own radio-frequency shielding, (2) 

have buffered modulation/data inputs to 

ensure that the device will comply with 

the part 15 requirements with any type 

of input signal, (3) contain power 

supply regulation, (4) comply with the 

part 15 antenna requirements, (5) be 

tested in a stand-alone configuration, (6) 

be labeled with its own FCC ID, (7) 

comply with any specific rules 

applicable to the transmitter, and (8) 

comply with RF safety requirements. 

The Public Notice was released in 

response to manufacturers’ requests to 

the FCC Laboratory for information 

about the conditions under which part 

15 modular transmitter approvals may 

be granted. In the NPRM in this 

proceeding, the Commission proposed 

to codify the criteria from the Public 

Notice for approval of singular modular 


cprice-sewell on PROD1PC71 with RULES
28892 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 23, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

3See U.S.C. 603(b)(3). 

4 Id. 601(3). 

5 Id. 632. 

6NAICS code 334220. 

7 Id. 

8The number of ‘‘establishments’’ is a less 

helpful indicator of small business prevalence in 

this context than would be the number of ‘‘firms’’

or ‘‘companies,’’ because the latter take into account 

the concept of common ownership or control. Any 

single physical location for an entity is an 

establishment, even though that location may be 

owned by a different establishment. Thus, the 

numbers given may reflect inflated numbers of 

businesses in this category, including the numbers 

of small businesses. In this category, the Census 

breaks-out data for firms or companies only to give 

the total number of such entities for 1997, which 

was 1,089. 9U.S. Census Bureau, 1997 Economic Census, 

Industry Series: Manufacturing, ‘‘Industry Statistics 

by Employment Size,’’ Table 4, NAICS code 

334220. 

transmitters. In addition, the 

Commission proposed additional 

criteria that must be met for approval of 

split modular transmitters. 

23. The Second Report and Order 

codifies the eight Public Notice 

requirements for approval of single 

modular transmitters. It also adopts 

specific requirements for the approval of 

split modular devices. Specifically, in a 

split modular device: (1) Only the radiofrequency section of the module must be 

shielded, (2) the two sections of the 

module may exchange data and control 

information, (3) the sections of a split 

module must be tested together in a 

representative device, and (4) split 

modules must contain measures such a 

security codes to ensure that only 

sections of a module that have been 

approved together will function together 

in a host device. These rule changes will 

benefit manufacturers by allowing 

greater flexibility in certifying 

equipment and providing relief from the 

need to obtain a new equipment 

authorization each time the same 

transmitter is installed in a different 

device. The rule changes will also 

enable manufactures to develop more 

flexible and more advanced unlicensed 

transmitter technologies. 

B. Summary of Significant Issues Raised 

by Public Comments in Response to the 

IRFA 

24. No comments were filed in 

response to the IRFA. 

C. Description and Estimate of the 

Number of Small Entities to Which the 

Rules Will Apply 

25. The RFA directs agencies to 

provide a description of, and, where 

feasible, an estimate of the number of 

small entities that may be affected by 

the proposed rules, if adopted.3 The 

RFA defines the term ‘‘small entity’’ as 

having the same meaning as the terms 

‘‘small business,’’ ‘‘small organization,’’

and ‘‘small business concern’’ under 

section 3 of the Small Business Act.4

Under the Small Business Act, a ‘‘small 

business concern’’ is one that: (1) Is 

independently owned and operated; (2) 

is not dominant in its field of 

operations; and (3) meets additional 

criteria established by the Small 

Business Administration (SBA).5

26. The rules adopted in this Second 

Report and Order pertains to 

manufacturers of unlicensed 

communications devices. The 

appropriate small business size standard 

is that which the SBA has established 

for radio and television broadcasting 

and wireless communications 

equipment manufacturing. This category 

encompasses entities that primarily 

manufacture radio, television, and 

wireless communications equipment.6

Under this standard, firms are 

considered small if they have 750 or 

fewer employees.7 Census Bureau data 

for 1997 indicate that, for that year, 

there were a total of 1,215 

establishments 8 in this category.9 Of 

those, there were 1,150 that had 

employment under 500, and an 

additional 37 that had employment of 

500 to 999. The percentage of wireless 

equipment manufacturers in this 

category is approximately 61.35%, so 

the Commission estimates that the 

number of wireless equipment 

manufacturers with employment under 

500 was actually closer to 706, with an 

additional 23 establishments having 

employment of between 500 and 999. 

Given the above, the Commission 

estimates that the great majority of 

wireless communications equipment 

manufacturers are small businesses. 

D. Description of Projected Reporting, 

Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance 

Requirements 

27. Part 15 modular transmitters are 

already required to be certified before 

they can be legally imported into or 

marketed within the United States. The 

rule changes adopted in this proceeding 

will not alter any of the current 

reporting or recordkeeping 

requirements. Telecommunication 

Certification Bodies (TCBs) will not be 

permitted to certify split modular 

transmitters until the Commission has 

more experience with them and can 

properly advise TCBs on how to apply 

the applicable rules. 

E. Steps Taken To Minimize Significant 

Economic Impact on Small Entities, and 

Significant Alternatives Considered 

28. The RFA requires an agency to 

describe any significant alternatives that 

it has considered in reaching its 

approach, which may include the 

following four alternatives: (1) The 

establishment of differing compliance or 

reporting requirements or timetables 

that take into account the resources 

available to small entities; (2) the 

clarification, consolidation, or 

simplification of compliance and 

reporting requirements under the rule 

for such small entities; (3) the use of 

performance rather than design 

standards; and (4) an exemption from 

coverage of the rule, or any part thereof, 

for such small entities. 

29. Modular approvals save 

manufacturers, both large and small, the 

burden of having to test a transmitter 

multiple times for incorporation into 

multiple host devices. However, we 

recognize that in some instances, 

particularly with respect to small 

manufacturers, the drawback to modular 

approvals is that the certification of a 

module is somewhat more burdensome 

because the manufacturer must show 

compliance with the eight requirements 

from the June 2000 public notice that 

the current item incorporates into the 

rules. This could mean that a 

manufacturer has to incorporate 

shielding, modulation buffering or 

power supply regulation to make a 

device eligible for a modular approval, 

or that it has to be tested in different 

configurations than non-modular 

transmitters. 

30. Because smaller manufacturers 

may find that these requirements 

impose an economically significant 

burden, we have provided for two 

alternatives to reduce this burden. 

31. First, the rules do not require that 

a manufacturer approve a transmitter as 

a module. If a transmitter is only 

intended to be installed in a small 

number of different devices, a 

manufacturer may find it is more 

efficient, either cost-wise or time-wise, 

to simply obtain a separate certification 

for each device. 

32. Second, the rules permit ‘‘limited 

modular approvals’’ for transmitters that 

do not comply with all eight 

requirements for modular certification if 

the manufacturer can demonstrate by 

alternative means in the application for 

equipment authorization that the 

equipment will comply with the part 15 

rules. Specifically, manufacturers have 

flexibility with respect to requirements 

such as module shielding, buffered 

modulation/data inputs and power 

supply regulation, because compliance 

with these requirements may not be 

necessary in specific module 

installations. The manufacturer must 

demonstrate that it will retain control 

over the final installation of the device 


cprice-sewell on PROD1PC71 with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 23, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 28893 

10See 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). 

such that compliance of the end product 

is assured. A limited modular approval 

is subject to conditions such as the 

device(s) into which the module can be 

installed, a requirement for professional 

installation, the antenna separation 

distance from persons or the locations 

where it may be used (e.g., outdoor 

only). 

F. Report to Congress 

33. The Commission will send a copy 

of the Second Report and Order, 

including this FRFA, in a report to be 

sent to Congress pursuant to the 

Congressional Review Act.10 In 

addition, the Commission will send a 

copy of the second Report and Order, 

including the FRFA, to Congress and the 

Government Accountability Office. 

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 15 

Communications equipment. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene H. Dortch, 

Secretary. 

Final Rules 

■ For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, the Federal Communications 

Commission amends part 15 of Title 47 

of the CFR to read as follows: 

PART 15—RADIO FREQUENCY 

DEVICES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 15 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 302a, 303, 304, 

307, 336, and 544a 

■ 2. Section 15.212 is added to read as 

follows: 

§ 15.212 Modular transmitters. 

(a) Single modular transmitters 

consist of a completely self-contained 

radiofrequency transmitter device that is 

typically incorporated into another 

product, host or device. Split modular 

transmitters consist of two components: 

a radio front end with antenna (or radio 

devices) and a transmitter control 

element (or specific hardware on which 

the software that controls the radio 

operation resides). All single or split 

modular transmitters are approved with 

an antenna. All of the following 

requirements apply, except as provided 

in paragraph (b) of this section. 

(1) Single modular transmitters must 

meet the following requirements to 

obtain a modular transmitter approval. 

(i) The radio elements of the modular 

transmitter must have their own 

shielding. The physical crystal and 

tuning capacitors may be located 

external to the shielded radio elements. 

(ii) The modular transmitter must 

have buffered modulation/data inputs 

(if such inputs are provided) to ensure 

that the module will comply with part 

15 requirements under conditions of 

excessive data rates or over-modulation. 

(iii) The modular transmitter must 

have its own power supply regulation. 

(iv) The modular transmitter must 

comply with the antenna and 

transmission system requirements of 

§§ 15.203, 15.204(b) and 15.204(c). The 

antenna must either be permanently 

attached or employ a ‘‘unique’’ antenna 

coupler (at all connections between the 

module and the antenna, including the 

cable). The ‘‘professional installation’’

provision of § 15.203 is not applicable to 

modules but can apply to limited 

modular approvals under paragraph (b) 

of this section. 

(v) The modular transmitter must be 

tested in a stand-alone configuration, 

i.e., the module must not be inside 

another device during testing for 

compliance with part 15 requirements. 

Unless the transmitter module will be 

battery powered, it must comply with 

the AC line conducted requirements 

found in § 15.207. AC or DC power lines 

and data input/output lines connected 

to the module must not contain ferrites, 

unless they will be marketed with the 

module (see § 15.27(a)). The length of 

these lines shall be the length typical of 

actual use or, if that length is unknown, 

at least 10 centimeters to insure that 

there is no coupling between the case of 

the module and supporting equipment. 

Any accessories, peripherals, or support 

equipment connected to the module 

during testing shall be unmodified and 

commercially available (see § 15.31(i)). 

(vi) The modular transmitter must be 

equipped with either a permanently 

affixed label or must be capable of 

electronically displaying its FCC 

identification number. 

(A) If using a permanently affixed 

label, the modular transmitter must be 

labeled with its own FCC identification 

number, and, if the FCC identification 

number is not visible when the module 

is installed inside another device, then 

the outside of the device into which the 

module is installed must also display a 

label referring to the enclosed module. 

This exterior label can use wording such 

as the following: ‘‘Contains Transmitter 

Module FCC ID: XYZMODEL1’’ or 

‘‘Contains FCC ID: XYZMODEL1.’’ Any 

similar wording that expresses the same 

meaning may be used. The Grantee may 

either provide such a label, an example 

of which must be included in the 

application for equipment 

authorization, or, must provide 

adequate instructions along with the 

module which explain this requirement. 

In the latter case, a copy of these 

instructions must be included in the 

application for equipment 

authorization. 

(B) If the modular transmitter uses an 

electronic display of the FCC 

identification number, the information 

must be readily accessible and visible 

on the modular transmitter or on the 

device in which it is installed. If the 

module is installed inside another 

device, then the outside of the device 

into which the module is installed must 

display a label referring to the enclosed 

module. This exterior label can use 

wording such as the following: 

‘‘Contains FCC certified transmitter 

module(s).’’ Any similar wording that 

expresses the same meaning may be 

used. The user manual must include 

instructions on how to access the 

electronic display. A copy of these 

instructions must be included in the 

application for equipment 

authorization. 

(vii) The modular transmitter must 

comply with any specific rules or 

operating requirements that ordinarily 

apply to a complete transmitter and the 

manufacturer must provide adequate 

instructions along with the module to 

explain any such requirements. A copy 

of these instructions must be included 

in the application for equipment 

authorization. 

(viii) The modular transmitter must 

comply with any applicable RF 

exposure requirements in its final 

configuration. 

(2) Split modular transmitters must 

meet the requirements in paragraph 

(a)(1) of this section, excluding 

paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(v), and the 

following additional requirements to 

obtain a modular transmitter approval. 

(i) Only the radio front end must be 

shielded. The physical crystal and 

tuning capacitors may be located 

external to the shielded radio elements. 

The interface between the split sections 

of the modular system must be digital 

with a minimum signaling amplitude of 

150 mV peak-to-peak. 

(ii) Control information and other data 

may be exchanged between the 

transmitter control elements and radio 

front end. 

(iii) The sections of a split modular 

transmitter must be tested installed in a 

host device(s) similar to that which is 

representative of the platform(s) 

intended for use. 

(iv) Manufacturers must ensure that 

only transmitter control elements and 

radio front end components that have 

been approved together are capable of 

operating together. The transmitter 

module must not operate unless it has 

verified that the installed transmitter 


cprice-sewell on PROD1PC71 with RULES
28894 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 23, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

control elements and radio front end 

have been authorized together. 

Manufacturers may use means 

including, but not limited to, coding in 

hardware and electronic signatures in 

software to meet these requirements, 

and must describe the methods in their 

application for equipment 

authorization. 

(b) A limited modular approval may 

be granted for single or split modular 

transmitters that do not comply with all 

of the above requirements, e.g., 

shielding, minimum signaling 

amplitude, buffered modulation/data 

inputs, or power supply regulation, if 

the manufacturer can demonstrate by 

alternative means in the application for 

equipment authorization that the 

modular transmitter meets all the 

applicable part 15 requirements under 

the operating conditions in which the 

transmitter will be used. Limited 

modular approval also may be granted 

in those instances where compliance 

with RF exposure rules is demonstrated 

only for particular product 

configurations. The applicant for 

certification must state how control of 

the end product into which the module 

will be installed will be maintained 

such that full compliance of the end 

product is always ensured. 

[FR Doc. E7–9942 Filed 5–22–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

47 CFR Part 15 

[MB Docket No. 03–15; FCC 07–69] 

Second Periodic Review of the 

Commission’s Rules and Policies 

Affecting the Conversion to Digital 

Television 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of 

effective date. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications 

Commission has received Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) 

approval for information collection 

requirements contained in 47 CFR 

15.117(k). Therefore, the Commission 

announces that 47 CFR 15.117(k) is 

effective May 25, 2007. 

DATES: The effective date for the rule 

published at 72 FR 26554 (May 10, 

2007) amending 47 CFR 15.117 is May 

25, 2007. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Federal Communications Commission 

has received OMB approval for the 

Consumer Alert labeling rule published 

at 72 FR 26554 (May 10, 2007). Through 

this document, the Commission 

announces that it received this approval 

on May 16, 2007. 

Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104–13, an agency 

may not conduct or sponsor a collection 

of information unless it displays a 

currently valid control number. 

Notwithstanding any other provisions of 

law, no person shall be subject to any 

penalty for failing to comply with a 

collection of information subject to the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that 

does not display a valid control number. 

OMB assigned OMB Control Number 

3060–1100 to the collection of 

information contained in 47 CFR 

15.117(k). Questions concerning the 

OMB control number should be directed 

to Cathy Williams, Federal 

Communications Commission, (202) 

418–2918 or via the Internet at 

Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene H. Dortch, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E7–10053 Filed 5–22–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 


cprice-sewell on PROD1PC71 with RULES