70790 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 229 / Friday, November 28, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

send your request to your principal inspector 

or local Flight Standards District Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the manager of the ACO, send it to the 

attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (l)(1) of this AD. Information may 

be emailed to: 9–ANM–LAACO–AMOC– 

REQUESTS@faa.gov. 

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. 

(3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair 

required by this AD if it is approved by the 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization 

Designation Authorization (ODA) that has 

been authorized by the Manager, Los Angeles 

ACO, to make those findings. For a repair 

method to be approved, the repair must meet 

the certification basis of the airplane and 14 

CFR 25.571, Amendment 45, and the 

approval must specifically refer to this AD. 

(l) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Chandraduth Ramdoss, Aerospace 

Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM–120L, 

FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification 

Office (ACO), 3960 Paramount Blvd., Suite 

100, Lakewood, CA 90712–4137, phone: 562– 

627–5239; fax: 562–627–5210; email: 

chandraduth.ramdoss@faa.gov. 

(2) Service information identified in this 

AD that is not incorporated by reference is 

available at the addresses specified in 

paragraphs (m)(3) and (m)(4) of this AD 

(m) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

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(IBR) of the service information listed in this 

paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 

part 51. 

(2) You must use this service information 

as applicable to do the actions required by 

this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) Boeing Alert Service Bulletin DC8– 

53A080, Revision 2, dated September 18, 

2013. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For Boeing service information 

identified in this AD, contact Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & 

Services Management, 3855 Lakewood 

Boulevard, MC D800–0019, Long Beach, CA 

90846–0001; telephone 206–544–5000, 

extension 2; fax 206–766–5683; Internet 

https://www.myboeingfleet.com. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

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information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

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202–741–6030, or go to: http:// 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

28, 2014. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–26439 Filed 11–26–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

47 CFR Parts 1 and 20 

[WT Docket No. 10–4; FCC 14–138] 

The Commission’s Rules To Improve 

Wireless Coverage Through the Use of 

Signal Boosters 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Final rule; petition for 

reconsideration. 

SUMMARY: In the Order on 

Reconsideration, the Commission 

addresses two Petitions for 

Reconsideration of the technical rules 

adopted in the Signal Boosters Report 

and Order, granting one petition and 

granting the other in part. 

DATES: Effective December 29, 2014, 

except for the revision to 47 CFR 

20.21(f)(1)(iv)(A)(2), which contains 

information collection requirements 

subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995, Public Law 104–13, that are not 

effective until after approval by the 

Office of Management and Budget. The 

Federal Communications Commission 

will publish a document in the Federal 

Register announcing OMB approval and 

the effective date of this rule revision. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Amanda Huetinck of the Mobility 

Division, Wireless Telecommunications 

Bureau, at (202) 418–7090 or 

Amanda.Huetinck@fcc.gov. For 

additional information concerning the 

Paperwork Reduction Act information 

collection requirements contained in 

this document, contact Cathy Williams 

at (202) 418–2918, or via the Internet at 

PRA@fcc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is the 

Federal Communications Commission’s 

Order on Reconsideration, in WT 

Docket No. 10–4, FCC 14–138, adopted 

September 19, 2014, and released 

September 23, 2014. The Further Notice 

of Proposed Rulemaking that was 

adopted concurrently with the Order on 

Reconsideration is published elsewhere 

in this issue of the Federal Register. 

The full text of that document is 

available for inspection and copying 

during normal business hours in the 

FCC Reference Center, 445 12th Street 

SW., Room CY–A257, Washington, DC 

20554, or by downloading the text from 

the Commission’s Web site at http://

www.fcc.gov/document/signal-boostersorder-reconsideration-and-fnprm. The 

complete text also may be purchased 

from the Commission’s duplicating 

contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 

Portals II, 445 12th Street SW., Suite 

CY–B402, Washington, DC 20554. 

Alternative formats are available for 

people with disabilities (Braille, large 

print, electronic files, audio format), by 

sending an email to FCC504@fcc.gov or 

calling the Consumer and Government 

Affairs Bureau at (202) 418–0530 

(voice), (202) 418–0432 (TTY). 

Synopsis 

I. Introduction and Background 

1. In the Order on Reconsideration, 

we address two Petitions for 

Reconsideration of the technical rules 

adopted in the Signal Boosters Report 

and Order. 

2. As discussed below, we grant the 

Wi-Ex Petition and amend certain 

technical rules for Wideband Consumer 

Signal Boosters. These amendments will 

streamline the testing procedures for 

Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters 

and will benefit consumers by 

decreasing the costs and complexities 

associated with the manufacture and 

certification of such devices. We also 

grant in part, to the extent described 

below, and otherwise deny the Verizon 

Petition and amend certain technical 

rules for mobile Provider-Specific 

Consumer Signal Boosters. These 

amendments will ensure consumers 

have access to a wide variety of signal 

boosters while strengthening the 

technical protections for wireless 

networks. 

II. Order on Reconsideration 

A. Background 

3. Report and Order. On February 20, 

2013, the Commission adopted a new 

regulatory framework to allow 

consumers to realize the benefits of 

using signal boosters while preventing, 

controlling, and, if necessary, resolving 

interference to wireless networks. In the 

Report and Order, the Commission 

adopted new technical, operational, and 

registration requirements for signal 

boosters. The new rules created two 

classes of signal boosters—Consumer 

and Industrial—with distinct regulatory 

requirements for each. For Consumer 

Signal Boosters, the Commission 

adopted a Network Protection Standard 

(NPS)—a flexible set of requirements for 

the design and manufacture of 

Consumer Signal Boosters, which are 

intended to couple signal booster 


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innovation with sufficient safeguards to 

protect wireless networks from harmful 

interference. In addition, the 

Commission adopted two sets of 

technical parameters, which it deemed 

to satisfy the NPS—one for Wideband 

Consumer Signal Boosters and a second 

for Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters. At issue in this Order on 

Reconsideration are certain technical 

requirements in the NPS for both 

Wideband and Provider-Specific 

Consumer Signal Boosters. 

4. Petitions for Reconsideration. Three 

groups filed Petitions for 

Reconsideration seeking modifications 

to the Report and Order. Wilson 

Electronics, LLC, V–COMM, L.C.C., and 

Wireless Extenders, Inc. (Wi-Ex) 

(collectively ‘‘Wi-Ex Petitioners’’) ask 

the Commission to streamline the 

equipment certification process by 

amending certain technical 

requirements for Wideband Consumer 

Signal Boosters. 

5. V–COMM, L.L.C., Verizon Wireless, 

and Wilson Electronics, LLC 

(collectively ‘‘Verizon Petitioners’’), ask 

the Commission to amend its ProviderSpecific Consumer Signal Booster rules 

to protect wireless networks from 

interference stemming from mobile 

Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters. Likewise, the Verizon 

Petitioners ask the Commission to 

amend its booster antenna kitting rules 

for Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters accordingly. In addition, the 

Verizon Petitioners ask that Consumer 

Signal Boosters certified for fixed 

operation be labeled to notify 

consumers that such devices may only 

be used in fixed, in-building locations. 

The Enterprise Wireless Alliance also 

filed a Petition for Reconsideration, but 

it was subsequently withdrawn. 

6. Responsive Pleadings. On June 6, 

2013, the Commission released a Public 

Notice seeking comment on the 

Petitions. Oppositions to the Petitions 

were due on June 21, 2013, and Replies 

to Oppositions were due on July 1, 

2013. Verizon filed in support of the WiEx Petition; no parties opposed the WiEx Petition. 

7. AT&T supported the Verizon 

Petition, while Nextivity opposed it. 

Subsequently, however, Nextivity and 

the Verizon Petitioners reached an 

agreement on how to address the issues 

that Verizon raised in its petition and 

both parties jointly filed an Ex Parte 

Statement proposing revised, 

strengthened technical rules for the 

manufacture and operation of mobile 

Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters. The Joint Ex Parte Statement 

recommends that the Commission: 

• Require that mobile ProviderSpecific Consumer Signal Boosters meet 

the same noise limits as mobile 

Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters; 

• Require that mobile ProviderSpecific Consumer Signal Boosters that 

are directly connected to the device or 

that use direct contact coupling (e.g., 

cradle-type boosters) meet the same gain 

limits that apply to similarly connected 

Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters; 

• Require that the maximum booster 

gain for mobile Provider-Specific 

Consumer Signal Boosters that use an 

inside antenna and that have both 

automatic gain adjustment based on 

isolation measurements between booster 

donor and server antenna and automatic 

feedback cancellation not exceed 58 dB 

and 65 dB for frequencies below and 

above 1 GHz, respectively; 

• Amend the antenna kitting rule for 

all Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters to be the same as the current 

antenna kitting rule applicable to 

Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters; 

and 

• Amend the booster labeling 

requirements to require that all 

consumer boosters, both ProviderSpecific and Wideband, certified for 

fixed, in-building use include language 

stating: ‘‘This device may ONLY be 

operated in a fixed location for inbuilding use.’’ 

B. Discussion 

1. Wi-Ex Petition 

8. For the reasons discussed below, 

we find that the Wi-Ex Petitioners’ 

requested amendments to certain 

technical rules for Wideband Consumer 

Signal Boosters are warranted and 

amend our rules accordingly. As stated 

above, the Wi-Ex Petition is supported 

by Verizon and is unopposed by any 

party in the proceeding. 

9. The Wi-Ex Petitioners explain that 

the development of testing procedures 

to certify Wideband Consumer Signal 

Boosters was complicated by the need 

for special test equipment to determine 

compliance with the downlink noise 

limit in the rules. Specifically, the WiEx Petitioners state that, during the 

course of meetings between the Office of 

Engineering and Technology (OET) and 

the ANSI ASC C63® working group, it 

was determined that filtering equipment 

that includes variable tunable bandpass 

filtering and notches was necessary to 

measure the downlink noise in the 

presence of downlink signals through 

the booster. The Wi-Ex Petitioners state 

that the OET lab and most 

Telecommunications Certification 

Bodies (TCBs) do not have such 

equipment, thus complicating device 

testing. 

10. The Wi-Ex Petitioners argue that 

their requested amendments will not 

affect the safeguards in our rules 

designed to protect wireless networks. 

The Wi-Ex Petitioners explain that, in 

order to satisfy the bidirectional 

capability requirements in our 

Wideband Consumer Signal Booster 

rules, the NPS included uplink and 

downlink noise limits. According to the 

Wi-Ex Petitioners, downlink transmitted 

noise power was included in 

§ 20.21(e)(8)(i)(A)(1) of the Noise Limits 

technical requirement as a way to 

measure bidirectional capability, not 

specifically as a means to protect 

wireless networks. The Wi-Ex 

Petitioners contend that wireless 

networks are sufficiently protected with 

respect to downlink noise by the 

limitations in § 20.21(e)(8)(i)(A)(2) 

coupled with the operation of the 

‘‘Transmit Power Off Mode’’ in 

§ 20.21(e)(8)(i)(H). 

11. The Wi-Ex Petitioners further 

argue that bidirectional capability can 

be effectively achieved and more easily 

measured by including downlink gain 

limits in §§ 20.21(e)(8)(i)(C)(1) (Booster 

Gain Limits) and 20.21(e)(8)(i)(H) 

(Transmit Power Off Mode). In addition, 

the Wi-Ex Petitioners maintain that 

including downlink gain in the 

Transmit Power Off Mode requirement 

will ‘‘serve to provide relief for 

Wideband Boosters in very high 

received signal strength indication 

(RSSI) conditions that require very low 

downlink gain operation pursuant to 

§ 20.21(e)(8)(i)(C)(1), and to clarify the 

limitation on downlink gain in the 

Transmit Power OFF Mode of 

operation.’’ 

12. We agree with the Wi-Ex 

Petitioners and find that the requested 

amendments to our rules will facilitate 

the test procedures and equipment 

certification process for Wideband 

Consumer Signal Boosters without 

diminishing the safeguards in our rules 

designed to protect wireless networks. 

We also agree that the requested rule 

changes will benefit consumers by 

decreasing the costs and complexities 

associated with the manufacture and 

certification of Wideband Boosters 

while continuing to achieve the 

objectives of the NPS. We recognize that 

it is difficult to design a compliance test 

to measure downlink noise levels in the 

presence of an introduced signal 

(representing RSSI) within the same 

frequency band, particularly when RSSI 

is also assumed to be broadband noise. 

Moreover, we do not believe that it is 

necessary to limit downlink noise as a 

function of RSSI in this section of our 


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rules in order to protect base stations 

from interference as a signal booster 

approaches a base station. Downlink 

noise limits are included in other 

sections of our rules. Accordingly, we 

will remove the reference to downlink 

noise from § 20.21(e)(8)(i)(A)(1) of our 

Noise Limits technical requirement for 

Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters. 

As amended, § 20.21(e)(8)(i)(A)(1) now 

provides: 

The transmitted noise power in dBm/MHz 

of consumer boosters at their uplink port 

shall not exceed ¥103 dBm/MHz—RSSI. 

RSSI (received signal strength indication 

expressed in negative dB units relative to 1 

mW) is the downlink composite received 

signal power in dBm at the booster donor 

port for all base stations in the band of 

operation. 

13. We also agree that downlink gain 

limits should be added to 

§ 20.21(e)(8)(i)(H) (Transmit Power Off 

Mode). Adding a downlink gain 

requirement to our Transmit Power Off 

Mode rule will ensure gain equivalency 

as required by our Bidirectional 

Capability rule without creating 

complications for our test procedures. In 

addition, it will benefit signal booster 

manufacturers by setting a floor on the 

permissible downlink gain when in 

proximity to one or more base station 

transmitters (i.e., high RSSI levels). 

Accordingly, we will add a reference to 

downlink noise in § 20.21(e)(8)(i)(H) of 

our Transmit Power Off Mode 

requirement for Wideband Consumer 

Signal Boosters. As amended, 

§ 20.21(e)(8)(i)(H) now provides: 

When the consumer booster cannot 

otherwise meet the noise and gain limits 

defined herein it must operate in 

‘‘Transmit Power Off Mode.’’ In this 

mode of operation, the uplink and 

downlink noise power shall not exceed 

¥70 dBm/MHz and both uplink and 

downlink gain shall not exceed the 

lesser of 23 dB or MSCL. 

2. Verizon Petition 

14. The Verizon Petitioners ask that 

we revise our rules regarding mobile 

Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters. We conclude that the 

recommendations in the Verizon 

Petition coupled with those in the Joint 

Ex Parte Statement are in the public 

interest, striking the right balance 

between ensuring consumers continue 

to have access to a wide-variety of signal 

boosters to best suit their needs while 

still protecting wireless networks. We 

therefore grant in part, as described 

below, and otherwise deny the Verizon 

Petition, consistent with the 

recommendations in the Joint Ex Parte 

Statement, and amend our rules 

accordingly. 

15. Noise Limits for Provider-Specific 

Consumer Signal Boosters. The current 

Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Booster rules are part of the NPS, which 

is largely based on the ‘‘Consolidated 

Proposal’’—a comprehensive, 

consensus-based technical proposal 

developed by wireless providers 

(Verizon, T-Mobile) and equipment 

manufacturers (Wilson, Nextivity). 

AT&T, Sprint, Wi-Ex, and more than 90 

small rural providers endorsed the 

Consolidated Proposal. In addition, the 

Competitive Carriers Association 

supported many elements of the 

Consolidated Proposal, including 

‘‘affirmatively support[ing]’’ the 

provider-specific aspects of the 

proposal. In light of the overwhelming 

support in the record for the 

Consolidated Proposal, the Commission 

adopted the NPS. Although the 

Consolidated Proposal did not include a 

technical specification for mobile 

Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters, in an effort to provide 

manufactures with optimal flexibility, 

the Commission made such an option 

available in the NPS subject to carrier 

consent. 

16. The Verizon Petitioners argue that 

the Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Booster technical requirements were not 

designed for mobile use scenarios and 

thus do not adequately protect against 

harmful interference. In its Opposition, 

Nextivity argues that mobile ProviderSpecific Consumer Signal Boosters will 

not harm wireless networks and 

opposes the Verizon Petition on a 

variety of technical, legal, and policy 

grounds. In their Joint Ex Parte 

Statement proposing to resolve the 

matter, the Verizon Petitioners and 

Nextivity suggest strengthening the 

technical rules for mobile ProviderSpecific Consumer Signal Boosters, thus 

facilitating the manufacture and 

operation of mobile Provider-Specific 

Consumer Signal Boosters, as Nextivity 

desires, while protecting wireless 

networks from harmful interference, 

thus addressing the Verizon Petitioners’ 

concern. 

17. To provide adequate protection to 

wireless networks as well as consistency 

with the noise and gain limits already 

in place for mobile Wideband Consumer 

Signal Boosters, the parties to the Joint 

Ex Parte Statement (collectively ‘‘Joint 

Petitioners’’) recommend that the 

Commission require that all mobile 

Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters meet the same noise limits as 

mobile Wideband Consumer Signal 

Boosters and that mobile ProviderSpecific Consumer Signal Boosters that 

are directly connected to the device or 

that use direct contact coupling (e.g., 

cradle-type boosters) meet the same gain 

limits that apply to similarly connected 

Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters. 

For mobile Provider-Specific Consumer 

Signal Boosters that use an inside 

antenna and that have both automatic 

gain adjustment based on isolation 

measurements between booster donor 

and server antenna and automatic 

feedback cancellation, the Joint 

Petitioners recommend that the 

Commission require that the maximum 

booster gain not exceed 58 dB and 65 dB 

for frequencies below and above 1 GHz, 

respectively. We find that these 

proposed noise and gain limits are 

reasonable for signal booster 

manufacturers to implement, while also 

adequately protecting against 

interference to wireless networks. 

Accordingly, we will adopt these 

modified, strengthened noise and gain 

limits for mobile Provider-Specific 

Consumer Signal Boosters. 

18. Antenna Kitting Requirements. 

The Verizon Petitioners also ask that the 

Commission harmonize the antenna 

kitting rule for all Provider-Specific 

Consumer Signal Boosters with the 

booster antenna kitting rules for 

Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters. 

19. Currently, the antenna kitting rule 

for Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters 

provides that ‘‘[a]ll consumer boosters 

must be sold together with antennas, 

cables, and/or coupling devices that 

meet the requirements of this section,’’ 

while the rule for Provider-Specific 

Consumer Signal Boosters states that 

‘‘[m]obile consumer boosters must be 

sold together with antennas, cables, 

and/or coupling devices that meet the 

requirements of this section.’’ 

20. We agree with the Joint Petitioners 

that a conforming change to the 

language of this rule is warranted in 

light of the above rule amendments. We 

therefore will amend the rule for mobile 

Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters to mirror the current antenna 

kitting rule for Wideband Consumer 

Signal Boosters by replacing the word 

‘‘mobile’’ in § 20.21(e)(9)(i)(H) with the 

word ‘‘all.’’ 

21. Labeling Requirements. Finally, in 

addition to the above technical rule 

modifications, the Verizon Petitioners 

ask the Commission to require that all 

Consumer Signal Boosters certified for 

fixed, in-building operation include a 

label directing consumers that the 

device may only be operated in a fixed 

in-building location. The Verizon 

Petitioners state that this additional 

labeling requirement is necessary to 

inform purchasers of fixed Consumer 

Signal Boosters that they may not 

lawfully be installed and operated in a 

moving vehicle or outdoor location. We 


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agree that such a requirement is 

appropriate to ensure that consumers 

are properly informed about which 

devices are suitable for their use and 

how to comply with our rules. We 

recognize that our labeling requirement 

imposes additional costs on entities that 

manufacture Consumer Signal Boosters; 

consistent with our previous decision in 

the Report and Order to implement 

labeling requirements, however, on 

balance, we find that such costs are 

outweighed by the benefits of ensuring 

that consumers purchase appropriate 

devices. Accordingly, all fixed 

Consumer Signal Boosters, both 

Provider-Specific and Wideband, 

manufactured or imported on or after 

one year from the effective date of the 

rule change must include the following 

advisory (1) in on-line point-of-sale 

marketing materials, (2) in any print or 

on-line owner’s manual and installation 

instructions, (3) on the outside 

packaging of the device, and (4) on a 

label affixed to the device: ‘‘This device 

may be operated ONLY in a fixed 

location for in-building use.’’ 

22. Conclusion. Like the Consolidated 

Proposal, the recommendations in the 

Verizon Petition and Joint Ex Parte 

Statement have been considered and 

drafted by industry experts, who are 

well-qualified to determine what 

devices are cost-effective for 

manufacturers to produce, as well as 

whether such devices may cause 

interference and negatively affect 

service quality. We believe that the 

Verizon Petition, in accordance with the 

recommendations in the Joint Ex Parte 

Statement, appropriately balances the 

need to protect wireless networks with 

the need to provide consumers with a 

variety of affordable signal booster 

options. Accordingly, we grant in part, 

as described above, and otherwise deny 

the Verizon Petition. 

3. Other Issues 

23. We also correct typographic errors 

in the rules adopted in the Report and 

Order at this time. Specifically, we 

correct a reference to the Federal 

Register in 47 CFR 20.21 and remove a 

series of asterisks in 47 CFR 20.3. In 

addition, we correct a typographical 

error in 47 CFR 1.1307(b)(1) regarding 

radio frequency exposure labeling 

requirements for Consumer Signal 

Boosters. 

III. Procedural Matters 

A. Paperwork Reduction Act 

24. The Order on Reconsideration 

contains modified information 

collection requirements subject to the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA). It will be submitted to the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review under section 3507(d) of the 

PRA. OMB, the general public, and 

other Federal agencies are invited to 

comment on the new or modified 

information collection requirements 

contained in this proceeding. In 

addition, we note that pursuant to the 

Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 

2002, we previously sought specific 

comment on how the Commission might 

further reduce the information 

collection burden for small business 

concerns with fewer than 25 employees. 

25. In the Order on Reconsideration, 

we assessed the effects of the policies 

adopted in the Order on 

Reconsideration with regard to 

information collection burdens on small 

business concerns, and find that these 

policies will benefit many companies 

with fewer than 25 employees because 

the rule modifications we adopt should 

provide small entities with access to the 

coverage enhancing benefits of signal 

boosters that do not harm wireless 

networks. In addition, we have 

described impacts that might affect 

small businesses, which includes most 

businesses with fewer than 25 

employees, in the Supplemental Final 

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis below. 

B. Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 

26. The Regulatory Flexibility Act 

(RFA) requires that an agency prepare a 

regulatory flexibility analysis for notice 

and comment rulemakings, unless the 

agency certifies that ‘‘the rule will not, 

if promulgated, have a significant 

economic impact on a substantial 

number of small entities.’’ 

27. Accordingly, we have prepared a 

Supplemental Final Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis concerning the 

possible impact of the rule changes 

contained in the Order on 

Reconsideration on small entities. The 

Supplemental Final Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis is set forth below. 

C. Congressional Review Act 

28. The Commission will send a copy 

of this Order on Reconsideration to 

Congress and the Government 

Accountability Office pursuant to the 

Congressional Review Act. 

IV. Supplemental Final Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis 

29. As required by the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended 

(RFA), the Commission incorporated an 

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 

(IRFA) of the possible significant 

economic impact on a substantial 

number of small entities by the policies 

and rules proposed in the Notice of 

Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). No 

comments were filed addressing the 

IRFA. In addition, a Final Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) was 

incorporated in the Report and Order. 

Because we amend the rules in the 

Order on Reconsideration, we have 

included this Supplemental Final 

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 

(SFRFA). This present SFRFA conforms 

to the RFA. 

A. Need for, and Objectives of, the 

Order on Reconsideration 

30. The Order on Reconsideration 

addresses two Petitions for 

Reconsideration of the technical rules 

adopted in the Signal Boosters Report 

and Order. The need for and objectives 

of the rules adopted in the Order on 

Reconsideration are the same as those 

discussed in the FRFA for the Report 

and Order. In the Report and Order, the 

Commission adopted a new regulatory 

framework to allow consumers to realize 

the benefits of using signal boosters 

while preventing, controlling, and, if 

necessary, resolving interference to 

wireless networks. The Commission 

adopted new technical, operational, and 

registration requirements for signal 

boosters. The new rules created two 

classes of signal boosters—Consumer 

and Industrial—with distinct regulatory 

requirements for each. For Consumer 

Signal Boosters, the Commission 

adopted a Network Protection Standard 

(NPS)—a flexible set of requirements for 

the design and manufacture of 

Consumer Signal Boosters, which are 

intended to couple signal booster 

innovation with sufficient safeguards to 

protect wireless networks from harmful 

interference. In addition, the 

Commission adopted two sets of 

technical parameters, which it deemed 

to satisfy the NPS—one for Wideband 

Consumer Signal Boosters and a second 

for Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters. 

31. In the Order on Reconsideration, 

we: (1) Streamline the equipment 

certification process by amending 

certain technical requirements for 

Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters; 

(2) strengthen the gain and power limits 

for Provider-Specific Consumer Signal 

Boosters; (3) amend the booster antenna 

kitting rules for Provider-Specific 

Consumer Signal Boosters accordingly; 

(4) and require that Consumer Signal 

Boosters certified for fixed operation 

only be labeled to notify consumers that 

such devices may only be used in fixed, 

in-building locations. These changes 

will ensure consumer access to a wide 

variety of cost-efficient Consumer Signal 

Boosters while still protecting the 

wireless networks. 


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70794 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 229 / Friday, November 28, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

B. Summary of Significant Issues Raised 

by Public Comments in Response to the 

IRFA 

32. No public comments were filed 

concerning the IRFA. 

C. Response to Comments by the Chief 

Counsel for Advocacy of the Small 

Business Administration 

33. Pursuant to the Small Business 

Jobs Act of 2010, the Commission is 

required to respond to any comments 

filed by the Chief Counsel for Advocacy 

of the Small Business Administration 

(SBA), and to provide a detailed 

statement of any change made to the 

proposed rules as a result of those 

comments. The Chief Counsel did not 

file any comments in response to the 

proposed rules in this proceeding. 

D. Legal Basis 

34. The actions are authorized 

pursuant to sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 301, 

302, 303(f), and 303(r) of the 

Communications Act of 1934, as 

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

301, 302, 303(f), and 303(r). 

E. Description and Estimate of the 

Number of Small Entities to Which the 

Rules Will Apply 

35. 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 rules adopted, herein. The RFA 

generally defines the term ‘‘small 

entity’’ as having the same meaning as 

the terms ‘‘small business,’’ ‘‘small 

organization,’’ and ‘‘small governmental 

jurisdiction.’’ In addition, the term 

‘‘small business’’ has the same meaning 

as the term ‘‘small business concern’’ 

under the Small Business Act. A ‘‘small 

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

independently owned and operated; (2) 

is not dominant in its field of operation; 

and (3) satisfies any additional criteria 

established by the SBA. Below, we 

describe and estimate the number of 

small entity licensees that may be 

affected by the adopted rules. 

36. Small Businesses, Small 

Organizations, and Small Governmental 

Jurisdictions. As of 2009, small 

businesses represented 99.9% of the 

27.5 million businesses in the United 

States, according to the SBA. 

Additionally, a ‘‘small organization’’ is 

generally ‘‘any not-for-profit enterprise 

which is independently owned and 

operated and is not dominant in its 

field.’’ Nationwide, as of 2007, there 

were approximately 1,621,315 small 

organizations. Finally, the term ‘‘small 

governmental jurisdiction’’ is defined 

generally as ‘‘governments of cities, 

counties, towns, townships, villages, 

school districts, or special districts, with 

a population of less than fifty 

thousand.’’ Census Bureau data for 2007 

indicate that there were 89,527 

governmental jurisdictions in the 

United States. We estimate that, of this 

total, as many as 88,761 entities may 

qualify as ‘‘small governmental 

jurisdictions.’’ Thus, we estimate that 

most governmental jurisdictions are 

small. 

37. Radio and Television 

Broadcasting and Wireless 

Communications Equipment 

Manufacturing. The Census Bureau 

defines this category as follows: ‘‘This 

industry comprises establishments 

primarily engaged in manufacturing 

radio and television broadcast and 

wireless communications equipment. 

Examples of products made by these 

establishments are: transmitting and 

receiving antennas, cable television 

equipment, GPS equipment, pagers, 

cellular phones, mobile 

communications equipment, and radio 

and television studio and broadcasting 

equipment.’’ The SBA has developed a 

small business size standard for firms in 

this category, which is: all such firms 

having 750 or fewer employees. 

According to Census Bureau data for 

2010, there were a total of 810 

establishments in this category that 

operated for the entire year. Of this 

total, 787 had employment of fewer than 

500, and an additional 23 had 

employment of 500 to 999. Thus, under 

this size standard, the majority of firms 

can be considered small. 

F. Description of Projected Reporting, 

Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance 

Requirements 

38. The rule changes adopted in this 

proceeding will not alter any of the 

current reporting or recordkeeping 

requirements. 

G. Steps Taken To Minimize Significant 

Economic Impact on Small Entities, and 

Significant Alternatives Considered 

39. 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 (among 

others): (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 or reporting requirements 

under the rule for 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 small entities. 

40. Regarding our amending certain 

technical requirements for Wideband 

Consumer Signal Boosters to streamline 

the equipment certification process, we 

anticipate this change will actually 

decrease the costs and complexities 

associated with the manufacture and 

certification of such devices, thereby 

benefiting small businesses. In addition, 

as to our amending certain technical 

and labeling requirements for ProviderSpecific Consumer Signal Boosters, the 

Commission does not believe that these 

changes vary enough from the rules 

adopted in the Report and Order to 

unduly burden small entities. 

H. Federal Rules That May Duplicate, 

Overlap, or Conflict With the Rules 

41. None. 

I. Report to Congress 

42. The Commission will send a copy 

of the Report and Order, including the 

FRFA, in a report to Congress pursuant 

to the Congressional Review Act. In 

addition, the Commission will send a 

copy of the Order on Reconsideration, 

including SFRFA, to the Chief Counsel 

for Advocacy of the Small Business 

Administration. A copy of the Order on 

Reconsideration and SFRFA (or 

summaries thereof) will be published in 

the Federal Register. 

VI. Ordering Clauses 

43. Accordingly, it is ordered that, 

pursuant to the authority of sections 1, 

4(i), 7, 10, 201, 202, 208, 214, 301, 302, 

303, 308, 309(j), 310, and 710 of the 

Communications Act of 1934, as 

amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 157, 

160, 201, 202, 208, 214, 301, 302a, 303, 

308, 309(j), 310, and 610, and §§ 1.412, 

1.425, and 1.429 of the Commission’s 

rules, 47 CFR 1.412, 1.425, 1.429, the 

Order on Reconsideration is hereby 

adopted. 

44. It is further ordered that, pursuant 

to sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 301, 302, 303(f), 

303(r), and 405(a) of the 

Communications Act of 1934, as 

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

301, 302a, 303(f), 303(r), and 405(a), and 

§ 1.429(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 

CFR 1.429(a), that the Petition for 

Reconsideration filed by Wilson 

Electronic, LLC, V–COMM, L.L.C., and 

Wireless Extenders, Inc., WT Docket No. 

10–4, on May 13, 2013, is granted. 

45. It is further ordered that, pursuant 

to sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 301, 302, 303(f), 

303(r), and 405(a) of the 

Communications Act of 1934, as 

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

301, 302a, 303(f), 303(r), and 405(a), and 

§ 1.429(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 

CFR 1.429(a), that the Petition for 

Reconsideration filed by V–COMM, 


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L.L.C., Verizon Wireless, and Wilson 

Electronics, WT Docket No. 10–4, on 

May 13, 2013, is granted in part, as 

described above, and otherwise denied. 

46. It is further ordered that parts 1 

and 20 of the Commission’s rules as are 

amended as set forth below, effective 

December 29, 2014 except for 47 CFR 

20.21(f)(1)(iv)(A)(2), which contain 

information collection requirements 

subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995, Public Law 104–13, that are not 

effective until after approval by the 

Office of Management and Budget. The 

Federal Communications Commission 

will publish a document in the Federal 

Register announcing OMB approval and 

the effective date of these rule revisions. 

47. It is further ordered that the 

Commission shall send a copy of this 

Order on Reconsideration to Congress 

and the Government Accountability 

Office pursuant to the Congressional 

Review Act. 

48. It is further ordered that the 

Commission’s Consumer and 

Governmental Affairs Bureau, Reference 

Information Center, shall send a copy of 

this Order on Reconsideration, 

including the Supplemental Final 

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis to the 

Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small 

Business Administration. 

List of Subjects 

47 CFR Part 1 

Administrative practice and 

procedure 

47 CFR Part 20 

Communications common carriers, 

Communications equipment, Radio. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene H. Dortch, 

Secretary. 

For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, the Federal Communications 

Commission amends 47 CFR parts 1 and 

20 are amended as follows: 

PART 1—PRACTICE AND 

PROCEDURE 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 1 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 79 et seq.; 47 U.S.C. 

151, 154(i), 154(j), 155, 157, 225, 227, 303(r), 

309, 1403, 1404, 1451, and 1452. 

■ 2. Section 1.1307 is amended in 

paragraph (b)(1) by revising Table 1 

Commercial Mobile Radio Services (part 

20) as follows: 

§ 1.1307 Actions that may have a 

significant environmental effect, for which 

Environmental Assessments (EAs) must be 

prepared. 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(1) * * * 

TABLE 1—TRANSMITTERS, FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS SUBJECT TO ROUTINE ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION

Service (title 47 CFR rule part) Evaluation required if: 

*******

Commercial Mobile Radio Services (part 20) ..... Non-building-mounted antennas: height above ground level to lowest point of antenna < 10 m 

and power > 1000 W ERP (1640 W EIRP). Building-mounted antennas: power > 1000 W 

ERP (1640 W EIRP). 

Consumer Signal Booster equipment grantees under the Commercial Mobile Radio Services 

provisions in part 20 are required to attach a label to Fixed Consumer Booster antennas 

that: 

(1) Provides adequate notice regarding potential radiofrequency safety hazards, e.g., information regarding the safe minimum separation distance required between users and transmitting antennas; and 

(2) references the applicable FCC-adopted limits for radiofrequency exposure specified in 

§ 1.1310. 

* * * * * * * 

* * * * * * 

PART 20—COMMERCIAL MOBILE 

SERVICES 

■ 1. The authority citation for Part 20 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 154(i), 

201(b), 225, 301, 303(b), 303(g), 303(r), 316, 

403, 615a, 615a–1, 615b, and 47 U.S.C. 615c. 

■ 2. Section 20.21 is amended by 

revising paragraph (e)(8)(i)(A)(1), 

(e)(8)(i)(H), (e)(9)(i)(A)(2), (e)(9)(i)(C)(2), 

(e)(9)(i)(H), and (f)(1) to read as follows: 

§ 20.21 Signal boosters. 

* * * * * 

(e) * * * 

(8) * * * 

(i) * * * 

(A) Noise Limits. (1) The transmitted 

noise power in dBm/MHz of consumer 

boosters at their uplink port shall not 

exceed ¥103 dBm/MHz—RSSI. RSSI 

(received signal strength indication 

expressed in negative dB units relative 

to 1 mW) is the downlink composite 

received signal power in dBm at the 

booster donor port for all base stations 

in the band of operation. 

* * * * * 

(H) Transmit Power Off Mode. When 

the consumer booster cannot otherwise 

meet the noise and gain limits defined 

herein it must operate in ‘‘Transmit 

Power Off Mode.’’ In this mode of 

operation, the uplink and downlink 

noise power shall not exceed ¥70 dBm/ 

MHz and both uplink and downlink 

gain shall not exceed the lesser of 23 dB 

or MSCL. 

* * * * * 

(9) * * * 

(i) * * * 

(A) * * * 

(2)(i) Fixed booster maximum 

downlink noise power shall not exceed 

¥102.5 dBm/MHz + 20 Log10

(Frequency), where Frequency is the 

uplink mid-band frequency of the 

supported spectrum bands in MHz. 

(ii) Mobile booster maximum noise 

power shall not exceed ¥59 dBm/MHz. 

(iii) Compliance with Noise limits 

will use instrumentation calibrated in 

terms of RMS equivalent voltage, and 

with booster input ports terminated or 

without input signals applied within the 

band of measurement. 

* * * * * 

(C) * * * 

(2) The uplink and downlink 

maximum gain of a frequency selective 

consumer booster referenced to its input 

and output ports shall not exceed the 

following limits: 

(i) Fixed Booster maximum gain shall 

not exceed 19.5 dB + 20 Log10

(Frequency), or 100 dB for systems 

having automatic gain adjustment based 

on isolation measurements between 

booster donor and server antennas. 


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70796 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 229 / Friday, November 28, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

(ii) Where, Frequency is the uplink 

mid-band frequency of the supported 

spectrum bands in MHz. 

(iii) Mobile Booster maximum gain 

shall not exceed 15 dB when directly 

connected (e.g., boosters with a physical 

connection to the subscriber device), 23 

dB when using direct contact coupling 

(e.g., cradle-type boosters), or 50 dB 

when using an inside antenna (e.g., 

inside a vehicle). For systems using an 

inside antenna that have automatic gain 

adjustment based on isolation 

measurements between booster donor 

and server antenna and automatic 

feedback cancellation, the mobile 

booster maximum gain shall not exceed 

58 dB and 65 dB for frequencies below 

and above 1 GHz, respectively. 

* * * * * 

(H) Booster Antenna Kitting. All 

consumer boosters must be sold with 

user manuals specifying all antennas 

and cables that meet the requirements of 

this section. All consumer boosters must 

be sold together with antennas, cables, 

and/or coupling devices that meet the 

requirements of this section. The 

grantee is required to submit a technical 

document with the application for FCC 

equipment authorization that shows 

compliance of all antennas, cables, and/ 

or coupling devices with the 

requirements of this section, including 

any antenna or equipment upgrade 

options that may be available at initial 

purchase or as a subsequent upgrade. 

* * * * * 

(f) Signal booster labeling 

requirements. (1) Signal booster 

manufacturers, distributors, and 

retailers must ensure that all signal 

boosters marketed on or after March 1, 

2014 include the following advisories: 

(i) In on-line, point-of-sale marketing 

materials, 

(ii) In any print or on-line owner’s 

manual and installation instructions, 

(iii) On the outside packaging of the 

device, and 

(iv) On a label affixed to the device: 

(A) For Consumer Signal Boosters: 

(1) This is a CONSUMER device. 

BEFORE USE, you MUST REGISTER 

THIS DEVICE with your wireless 

provider and have your provider’s 

consent. Most wireless providers 

consent to the use of signal boosters. 

Some providers may not consent to the 

use of this device on their network. If 

you are unsure, contact your provider. 

You MUST operate this device with 

approved antennas and cables as 

specified by the manufacturer. Antennas 

MUST be installed at least 20 cm (8 

inches) from any person. 

You MUST cease operating this 

device immediately if requested by the 

FCC or a licensed wireless service 

provider. 

WARNING. E911 location information 

may not be provided or may be 

inaccurate for calls served by using this 

device. 

(2) The label for Consumer Signal 

Boosters certified for fixed indoor 

operation also must include the 

following language: 

This device may be operated ONLY in 

a fixed location for in-building use. 

(B) For Industrial Signal Boosters: 

WARNING. This is NOT a 

CONSUMER device. It is designed for 

installation by FCC LICENSEES and 

QUALIFIED INSTALLERS. You MUST 

have an FCC LICENSE or express 

consent of an FCC Licensee to operate 

this device. Unauthorized use may 

result in significant forfeiture penalties, 

including penalties in excess of 

$100,000 for each continuing violation. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2014–26061 Filed 11–26–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 


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