1999/303/EC: Commission Decision of 12 April 1999 on a common technical regulation for connection to the analogue public switched telephone networks (PSTNs) of terminal equipment supporting the voice telephony justified case service in which network addressing, if provided, is by means of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signalling (notified under document number C(1999) 874) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 1999-04-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: computer terminal, harmonisation of standards, public service, systems interconnection, technical regulations, telephone

6. 5. 1999

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 12 April 1999

on a common technical regulation for connection to the analogue public
switched telephone networks (PSTNs) of terminal equipment supporting the
voice telephony justified case service in which network addressing, if provided, is
by means of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signalling

(notified under document number C(1999) 874)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(1999/303/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Directive 98/13/EC of the European
Parliament and of
the Council of 12 February 1998
concerning telecommunications terminal equipment and
satellite earth station equipment, including the mutual
their conformity (1), and in particular
recognition of
Article 7(2), second indent, thereof,

(1) Whereas the Council Decision 98/482/EC of 20
July 1998 on a common technical regulation for
the attachment requirements for connection to the
analogue public
switched telephone networks
(PSTNs) of terminal equipment (excluding terminal
equipment supporting the voice telephony justified
case service)
if
provided, is by means of dual tone multi-frequency
(DTMF) signalling (2) excludes terminal equipment
supporting the voice telephony justified case
service;

in which network addressing,

the Commission has
equipment

identified that
(2) Whereas
terminal
voice
telephony justified case service should be covered
by a common technical regulation; and has identi-
fied the associated scope statement;

supporting

the

(1) OJ L 74, 12.3.1998, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 216, 4.8.1998, p. 8.

is

standard

(3) Whereas the technical development of the corres-
ponding harmonised
sufficiently
advanced that its content is known to differ only
marginally from that of the harmonised standard
referenced by the Council Decision 98/482/EC;
whereas it is therefore opportune that the existing
harmonised standard should be adopted, with
minor exclusions, to provide a basis for the attach-
ment requirements for terminals supporting the
voice telephony justified case service; whereas this
can be
through this Commission
Decision which is complementary to Decision 98/
482/EC; whereas this will have the effect that the
same harmonised standard will be used for the
attachment requirements for all kinds of terminals
connected to the PSTN; whereas such application
of essential requirements with discernment, taking
account of the state of the art and economic bene-
fits,
is foreseen in the recitals of Directive 98/
13/EC;

achieved

(4) Whereas the technical development of the national
public
taken place
telephone networks have
continuously during the course of the 20th century,
and that because these developments were initially
undertaken independently,
technical
differences wil remain between networks;

important

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(5) Whereas technical differences in PSTNs exist, and
that the most significant of these are described in
the European Telecommunications Standards Insti-
tute’s (ETSI) guide EG 201 121;

(6) Whereas this guide may contain useful information

for the manufacturer;

(7) Whereas notified bodies shall therefore ensure that
manufacturers are aware of these differences;

(8) Whereas it should be possible to continue to
approve terminal equipment according to national
regulation for a transitional period;

(9) Whereas manufacturers shall associate a notice
with all products approved under this Decision;
whereas manufacturers
shall make a network
compatibility declaration; whereas notified bodies
shall ensure that manufacturers are aware of these
obligations; whereas notified bodies shall inform
other notified bodies of the network compatibility
declarations whenever approval
is granted under
this Decision;

(10) Whereas equipment falling within the scope of this
Decision that has been approved under national
regulations before the end of the transitional period
may continue to be placed on that national market
and put into service;

(11) Whereas

the

regulation
provided for in this Decision is in accordance with
the opinion of ACTE,

technical

common

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1.
This Decision shall apply to terminal equipment
which is intended to be connected to an analogue PSTN
and falls within the scope of the harmonised standard
referred to in article 2(1) of Commission Decision 98/
576/EC (1).

2.
This Decision establishes a common technical regu-
lation covering the attachment requirements for analogue
PSTN terminal equipment referred to in paragraph 1,
where network addressing, if provided is by means of
requirements
DTMF. This Decision does not cover
relating to the inter-working of terminal equipment via

the public telecommunications network, as specified in
Article 5(g) of Directive 98/13/EC.

Article 2

1.
The common technical regulation shall include the
harmonised standard prepared by the relevant standardi-
sation body implementing to the extent applicable the
essential requirements referred to in Articles 5(d) and (f)
of Directive 98/13/EC. The reference to the standard is
set out in Annex I.

2.

The common technical regulation allows terminals:

(a) to be tested in a smaller range of feeding conditions as

laid down in Annex IV, point 1;

(b) which are not intended to be connected to any PSTN
supplying a loop current of less than 18 mA, to be
tested in a smaller range of feeding conditions as laid
down in Annex IV, point 2.

3.
Terminal equipment covered by Article 1(2) of this
Decision shall comply with the common technical regu-
lation referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, shall meet the
essential requirements referred to in Articles 5(a) and (b)
of Directive 98/13/EC, and shall meet the requirements
of any other applicable Directives, in particular Council
Directives 73/23/EEC (2) and 89/336/EEC (3).

Article 3

the
1. Notified bodies designated for carrying out
procedures referred to in Article 10 of Directive 98/13/EC
shall, as regards terminal equipment covered by Article
1(2) of this Decision, use or ensure the use of the applic-
the harmonised standard referred to in
able parts of
Article 2(1).

2. Notified bodies shall ensure that:

(a) manufacturers or other applicants for approval are
aware of the advisory notes contained in ETSI guide
EG 201 121, including any amendments thereto; and

(b) manufacturers are aware that they must attach a notice
the form given in Annex II with all products

of
approved under this Decision; and

(c) manufacturers make

the network

compatibility

declarations of the form given in Annex III.

3. Notified bodies shall inform other notified bodies of
the network compatibility declarations made when
approval is granted under this Decision.

(1) OJ L 278, 15.10.1998, p. 40.

(2) OJ L 77, 26.3.1973, p. 29.
(3) OJ L 139, 23.5.1989, p. 19.

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Article 4

Article 5

1. National type approval regulations covering equip-
ment within the scope of
the harmonised standard
referred to in Article 2(1) shall not further apply with
this
from 15 months after the notification of
effect
Decision.

2.
Terminal equipment, approved under such national
type approval regulations may continue to be placed on
the market and put into service.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 12 April 1999.

For the Commission

Martin BANGEMANN

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX I

Reference to the harmonised standard applicable

The harmonised standard referred to in Article 2 of this Decision is:

Attachment requirements for pan-European approval for connection to the analogue public switched tele-
phone networks (PSTNs) of TE (excluding TE supporting the voice telephony service) in which network
addressing, if provided, is by means of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signalling

ETSI

European Telecommunications Standards Institute

ETSI Secretariat

TBR 21 (cid:190) January 1998

(excluding the foreword and the limitation of scope to terminal equipment not supporting the voice telephony
justified case service)

Additional information

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute is recognised according to Council Directive 98/
34/EC (1).

The harmonised standard referred to above has been produced according to a mandate issued in accordance
with relevant procedures of Directive 98/34/EC.

The full text of the harmonised standard referenced above can be obtained from:

European Telecommunications Standards Institute
650, route des Lucioles
F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex

or

European Commission,
DGXIII/A/2 (cid:190) (BU 31, 1/7)
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Brussels

or from any other organisation responsible for making ETSI standards available, of which a list can be found
on the Internet under address www.ispo.cec.be.

(1) OJ L 204, 21.7.1998, p. 37.

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ANNEX II

Text of the notice which manufacturers shall associate with products approved pursuant to this
Decision

‘The equipment has been approved pursuant to Commission Decision 1999/303/EC for pan-European
connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). However, due to differences between the
individual PSTNs provided for in different countries, the approval does not, of itself, give an unconditional
assurance of successful operation on every PSTN network termination point.

In the event of problems, you should contact your equipment supplier in the first instance.'

Note: The manufacturer should ensure that the vendor and user of the equipment is clearly informed of the
above information by means of packaging and/or user manuals (or other forms of user instructions).

ANNEX III

Network compatibility declaration to be made by the manufacturer to the notified body and the
vendor

This declaration will indicate the networks with which the equipment is designed to work and any notified
networks with which the equipment may have inter-working difficulties.

Network compatibility declaration to be made by the manufacturer to the user

This declaration will indicate the networks with which the equipment is designed to work and any notified
networks with which the equipment may have inter-working difficulties. The manufacturer shall also associate
a statement to make it clear where network compatibility is dependent on physical and software switch
settings. It will also advise the user to contact the vendor if it is desired to use the equipment on another
network.

ANNEX IV

1. Range of feeding conditions

The following relaxation applies to requirements of the standard referred to in Annex I in clauses 4.6.2, 4.7
(including all applicable subclauses) and 4.8 (including all applicable subclauses).

The resistor of 3 200 Y shall be replaced by a resistor of 2 800 Y.

2. Range of feeding conditions for terminal equipment not intended to be connected to any PSTN

supplying a loop current of less than 18 mA

The following relaxation applies to requirements of the standard referred to in Annex I in clauses 4.6.2, 4.7
(including all applicable subclauses) and 4.8 (including all applicable subclauses).

For terminal equipment declared by the manufacturer for use only on lines providing a loop current of
18mA or greater, the resistor of 2 800 Y shall be replaced by a resistor of 2 300 Y.