Communication Certification Laboratory

ADSL Equipment Certification Under Part 68
by Anh T. Wride

March 2, 2000

During the last several years the xDSL technology has made great strides in allowing high-speed access to the Internet using the existing phone lines for connection. There have been restrictions on the sale of xDSL CPE to over-the-counter retailers such as CompUSA, Target stores, etc., who usually require that the equipment for sale by their store be FCC certified. However, under the current FCC Part 68 rules, xDSL equipment would not be able to comply due to the existing restrictive signal power requirements above the voice band.

Over the last several months, there has been a major change in the certification procedures for ADSL, such that now, via a relatively simple administrative process, you can obtain Part 68 certification for your ADSL equipment. The FCC has recently taken the position that ADSL equipment is required to be certified under FCC Part 68.

The change came in the form of three petitions for waiver from Paradyne Corporation, Nortel Networks and Alcatel USA, Inc. The FCC, thereby creating a legal precedent that paves the way for certification for other ADSL products, has granted all three petitions. Manufacturers with equipment comparable to the Paradyne, the Nortel Networks or the Alcatel equipment may use this legal precedent process to submit similar waiver petitions. The process is a relatively simple procedure whereby a compliance folder is prepared in support of compliance. The compliance folder is comprised of the Waiver Petition, a Part 68 Application form with supporting data showing compliance with all FCC Part 68 requirements, accompanied by additional data showing compliance with the signal power requirements of industry standards such as the ANSI T1.413-1998.

CCL has been helping ADSL clients prepare and submit the required compliance folder. CCL staff chairs the TIA TR41.9 committee that deals with technical matters regarding Part 68. CCL is familiar with the industry standards requirements that will support your application. CCL will provide the technical advice and support for your petition vis-à-vis the FCC so that your equipment can make it to market before your competition!

The following is the procedure for the registration of ADSL equipment.

  1. The ADSL equipment is tested and evaluated for compliance with all the applicable requirements of FCC Part 68.
  2. The equipment is then tested and evaluated for compliance with industry standards. The testing and evaluation to the industry standards is used as part of the waiver process so show compliance with current accepted industry standards. As mentioned above, one of the current industry standards for ADSL equipment is the ANSI T1.413-1998 standard.
  3. The FCC Part 68 application is prepared and sent to the FCC along with the waiver for review by the FCC Part 68 staff. The FCC Part 68 application contains the common FCC Part 68 information like sample labels, Quality Assurance statement, and manual information.
  4. After successful review by the FCC Part 68 staff, the product is granted.

It is important to note that for the testing of the ADSL equipment the equipment must be able to transmit continuously without the need of the companion central office equipment.

Please feel free to contact either Joe Jackson (801-972-6146 x 1220; jwj@cclab.com), John Chase (801-972-6146 x 1218; jlc@cclab.com) or Anh Wride (801-972-6146 x 1216; atw@cclab.com) for any question that you may have regarding ADSL testing, preparation of the waiver petition or the compliance folder.

Communication Certification Laboratory
Corporate Office and Laboratory EMC Open Area Test Site
1940 West Alexander Street
Salt Lake City, Utah 84119-2039
Phone: (801) 972-6146
Fax: (801) 972-8432
500 West Wanship Road
Wanship, Utah 84017-9760
Salt Lake Phone: (801) 972-6146 ext 1330
Direct Phone: (435) 336-5868
Fax: (435) 336-2785
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Updated: July 18, 2002