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Compliance requirements for an IT product fitted with a spread spectrum or a digital modulation device ACMA's electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) regulatory arrangements cover a wide range of electrical and electronic products. Under these arrangements, information technology (IT) products such as computers and computer peripherals must meet the requirements of an applicable EMC standard. This standard may be CISPR 22, EN 55022 or AS/NZS CISPR 22. An IT product with an integral radiocommunications transmitter may have to meet ACMA's radiocommunications and electromagnetic radiation (EMR) regulatory arrangements in addition to the EMC arrangements. This fact sheet explains the compliance requirements of IT products fitted with spread spectrum and digital modulation transmitters. ACMA has mandated radiocommunications standards for three purposes, namely to:
The EMC regulatory arrangements cover electromagnetic emissions from electrical or electronic products that can cause harmful interference to radiocommunications systems. These products generate emissions unintentionally and are sometimes referred to as 'unintentional radiators'. Unlike products covered by the EMC arrangements, a radiocommunications transmitter is an 'intentional radiator' and must meet ACMA's radiocommunications regulatory arrangements. The EMR regulatory arrangements aim to protect the public from harmful levels of radiofrequency emissions from radiocommunications transmitters. Labelling A single C-Tick label on a product indicates compliance, as required, with one or more of the three ACMA regulatory arrangements mentioned above. These arrangements are aligned with overseas regulatory requirements. Radiocommunications devices capable of transmitting and receiving (transceivers) fall under ACMA's radiocommunications regulatory arrangements rather than the EMC regulatory arrangements. For example: a stand-alone
radiocommunications receiver (that is not an integral part of a transceiver) is
covered by ACMA's EMC regulatory arrangements. It must meet an applicable
EMC standard and be Spread spectrum and digital modulation devices The use of spread spectrum and digital modulation transmitters is covered by the Radiocommunications (Low Interference Potential Devices) Class Licence 2000. If the equipment complies with the conditions in the class licence, the use of the equipment is authorised. The associated standards for these equipments are detailed below. Spread spectrum devices employ direct sequence spread spectrum modulation techniques, frequency-hopping spread spectrum modulation techniques, or both, to transmit information. Digital modulation devices employ modulation techniques such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or direct sequence spread spectrum modulation techniques but do not include frequency-hopping spread spectrum modulation techniques. The class licence supports the use of short-range spectrum devices in applications including bar code readers, point of sale networks, cordless telephones, radio local area networks (RLANs) and wireless private automatic branch exchanges (PABXs). EMC requirements for an IT product fitted with a spread spectrum or digital modulation device A host IT device incorporating a transmitter, for example, a wireless LAN card in a computer, must be tested against the EMC regulatory requirements with any resident intended radiator (radio transmitter) disabled. In-house testing is acceptable under compliance level 2 of the EMC requirements. Alternatively, the supplier may contract a laboratory or test house to conduct testing on its behalf. Although an accredited test report is not necessary for level 2 compliance, ACMA recommends that an accredited test report will provide the highest confidence, lowest risk approach to the signing of the supplier's Declaration of Conformity. Compliance with radiocommunications standards Spread spectrum equipment is currently covered by the ACMA Radiocommunications (Data Transmission Equipment Using Spread Spectrum Modulation Techniques) Standard 2003, which adopts Australian standard AS/NZS 4771. This Australian standard was developed as a combination of the European and FCC requirements. The compliance substantiation requirements for this standard is level 2 under the radiocommunications labelling notice arrangements. In order to address changes in technology and follow international trends, the category 'digital modulation transmitters' (which includes modulation techniques such as OFDM and direct sequence spread spectrum) was later introduced into AS/NZS 4268:2003 titled “Radiocommunications equipment and systems – Short range devices –Limits and methods of measurement”. This is mandated by ACMA standard Radiocommunications (Short Range Devices) Standard 2004, which is compliance level 1. Standards Australia published an amendment to AS/NZS 4268:2003 in October 2005 which, amongst other things, included (as frequency hopping transmitters) the frequency-hopping spread spectrum transmitters. As the full suite of spread spectrum devices have now been replicated in the short range devices standard, it is intended that the spread spectrum standard will be revoked in late 2006. EMR requirements of spread spectrum and digital modulation devices The Radiocommunications (Electromagnetic Radiation - Human Exposure) Standard 2003 applies to portabl radiocommunications transmitters supplied with integral antennas. For information about the ACMA's EMR regulatory arrangements see the ACMA website. Telecommunications customer equipment Equipment that can be connected to the telephone network is also subject to ACMA's telecommunications regulatory arrangements and A-Tick compliance labelling requirements. Information about the telecommunications regulatory arrangements is on the ACMA website. Information about compliance marks is on the ACMA website. More information For more information about ACMA's radiocommunications regulatory arrangements, radiocommunications class licensing and ACMA's EMC regulatory arrangements see the ACMA website. If you have any enquiries, contact your nearest ACMA office on telephone 1300 850 115 or comply.label@acma.gov.au. ACMA also has consumer and industry fact sheets on a range of other topics available from ACMA regional offices or the ACMA website. Please note: This document is intended as a guide only. For this reason the information contained herein should not be relied on as legal advice or regarded as a substitute for legal advice in individual cases.
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