ONLINE NEWSLETTER - GLOBAL TELECOM COMPLIANCE NEWS
Date: February 1, 2001
----------------------------- In This Issue ------------------------------
** United States
The FCC streamlined the Equipment
Authorization Procedures for wire line equipment
FCC 00-400, CC Docket 99-216
------------------------------ United States ------------------------------
The FCC streamlined the Equipment Authorization Procedures
for wire line equipment
FCC 00-400, CC Docket 99-216
The Federal Communications Commission is implementing new procedures
for Equipment Authorization under 47 CFR Part 68 of the Commission’s
Rules. Suppliers
of wire line telecommunication equipment will be able to use one
of two options to show compliance with the requirements of FCC
Part 68:
-
The Telecommunication Certification Body (TCB) option of certifying the equipment. The TCB program was implemented in June 2000 as part of the implementation of the US-EU MRA. The program allows accredited private certification bodies to grant FCC Part 68 to telecom equipment. A TCB can provide an FCC grant to the manufacturer and the equipment’s information and Part 68 certification number is part of the FCC Part 68 database. This option is currently available.
-
The use of the Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDOC) supported by compliant test data and the provision for a copy of the SDOC certificate along with the supplier’s essential information to be submitted to a new entity, the Administrative Council for Terminal Attachment (ACTA). ACTA is a private body mandated to be jointly sponsored by TIA (the Telecommunication Industry Association) and ATIS (the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions). The SDOC option will not be available until ACTA is up and running, which is estimated to be mid-year 2001. Once ACTA is up an running the FCC will no longer accept applications for certification. Manufacturers choosing the certification route will need to send the application to a TCB.
The ACTA is required to work with existing industry standard development organizations (SDOs), and in accordance with the consensus process of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The ACTA will not develop standards itself, but will instead solicit, review, and approve standards submitted to it by ANSI-accredited SDOs, then publish the selected technical criteria for terminal equipment. Except for the requirements related to disabilities and consumer protection issues (Hearing-aid compatibility, Volume Control, fax branding, inside wiring, etc.), ACTA is given the responsibilities of maintaining and developing the technical rules for most of the current requirements in Subpart D of the Part 68 rules.
TIA and ATIS leadership are working on the definition and development of ACTA’s charter, structure, membership, funding mechanism, and its most urgent tasks, in order to comply with the timeline given in the Report & Order. The TIA TR41 committee is expected to play an important role in assisting ACTA with the development of the privatized Part 68 Rules.
A copy of the Report
& Order may be found at:
http://ftp.tiaonline.org/tr-41/tr419/Public/2001-02-CostaMesa/-003-p68-ro.pdf
A copy of a TR41.9
contribution containing a summary and overview of the Order may
be found at:
http://ftp.tiaonline.org/tr-41/tr419/Public/2001-02-CostaMesa/-011-pt-68-Overview.PDF
TR41’s next meeting is scheduled for the week of February 19-23, 2001 in Costa Mesa, California.
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