Last week, the Federal Communications Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. This is in regards to the Amendment of Parts 0, 1, 2, 15 and 18 of the Commission’s Rules of Authorization of Radiofrequency Equipment and Allowance of Optional Electronic Labeling for Wireless Devices, (ET Docket No. 15-170, RM-11673). The Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Michael O´Rielly have presented a Proposal of Rulemaking. They are sure that the update of the rules will better align the equipment authorization procedures with the current state of equipment development, design, and manufacturing practices, which in turn will promote significant cost savings, reduce the burdens, and avoid any unnecessary delay associated with the equipment authorization process – especially for applications involving new technologies and new devices that include multiple technologies. They are inviting commenters to discuss the costs and benefits of the rule changes proposed, to provide relevant supporting data that would support such comments, and to offer additional suggestions for enhancing the benefits or reducing the costs associated with their proposals.
The Notice includes several key proposals:
- Unify the self-approval procedures.
- Update Certification Procedures.
- Updated Certification Modification Process.
- Clarification of Responsible Party.
- Streamlined Certification Application Requirements.
- The E-LABEL ACT.
- Importation Requirements.
Comments will be due 30 days after Federal Register publication (deadline: Aug 21st) and the deadline to reply comments is 15 days later.
The Commission anticipates that the proposed rules, if adopted, would be effective immediately but that responsible parties would be allowed to keep using the existing procedures for up to one year after the effective date of the rules.