Approval Specialists Forum and Blog

Ultra-Wideband (UWB) devices have the ability to transmit at low output power levels over a broad range of the radiocommunications spectrum and are best suited for short range communications/applications.  As such, they are muted as the next advance in wireless short distance applications such as “wireless USB” and may be considered to have greater application use over many existing uses of Bluetooth(tm). 

Given their broad spectrum of transmission and the future possibility of numerous UWB devices in home applications, there is the potential for interference with existing radiocommunications services or other home devices, once multiple UWB devices are operating in the 1 location.  This is due to multiple devices increasing the ambient “noise floor” within a specific environment.  While 1 UWB device may have transmissions that sneak under the EMC CISPR emission noise floor for a Class B device, there’s no doubt that multiple devices will have an additive effect.

It can be argued that electronic devices in European homes and businesses are well equipped to handle noise via the EMC immunity test requirements of the CE Marking EMC Directive. 

This is not the case in Australia or New Zealand, where the ACMA and NZ MED do not require immunity testing of products.  Previous (dubious) arguments for not invoking EU style EMC Immunity requirements in Australia and New Zealand have included the less densely populated nature of Australian and New Zealand communities compared with those in Europe.   This argument becomes invalid when there are so many products in a home competing for the same limited transmission spectrum (typically from 900MHz to 4GHz).

The use in each home of multiple UWB devices, 802.11a/b/g/n, Zigbee, Bluetooth, 2G, 3G, Femtocells and soon 4G, creates a huge potential for interference issues that remain unaddressed by the ACMA’s current and banal C-Tick regime for general products and LIPDs.      

Contact our Australian lab for EMC emission testing of a wide range of products or LIPD testing to AS/NZS4268 for 802.11x/Bluetooth/RKE/RF devices.

The ACMA have produced a discussion paper on UWB with the closing date for submission on 7 June.  Further information can be found here.

The ACMA have amended the various labelling notices for Telecommunications, EMC and Radiocommunications to allow for the electronic display of the required A-Tick/C-Tick/RCM compliance logo and supplier code /alternatives, for devices that have an integrated display.  This alternative to standard product labels on a device does not apply to products that do not have an integrated screen, such as many routers, personal computers, DVD players etc. 

In reality, this change will mostly benefit mobile handset manufacturers who have problems with the lack of real estate on a product in order to fit the many compliance logos and markings required for different countries. 

The labelling notices do not prescribe how the electronic label is to be displayed. Examples of how the electronic label can be displayed include:

• during the device’s power up sequence
• under the device’s system information page
• under the device’s help menu.

There is however a requirement for suppliers to indicate the method used for displaying the electronic label in the documents that accompany the device.  

A summary of the various labelling requirements can be found here

In accordance with Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) requirements, all devices must comply with the requirements of all of the applicable ACMA mandated Labelling Notices.

The supplier of a “host” device (lap top PC, Data Tracking device as examples) incorporating an already C-Ticklabelled (compliant) module(s) (Bluetooth^tm or wireless LAN) must ensure the resulting final product still meets all of the applicable ACMA mandated compliance and labelling requirements.

The ACMA considers that an already compliant, and C-Ticked, wireless module, where its original compliance is not impacted by its method of integration into the host device, would require no further radiocommunications compliance testing after integrated into a host device.  Some assessment may need to be done by the supplier, the module manufacture, or the test laboratory and the ACMA cannot make or assume that all situations will be identical.

The important caveat here being “where its original compliance is not impacted by its method of integration into the host device” – the logical question then is “how do you determine this?”  Clearly the only way would be to conduct a test of the “new” device.

For a “host” unit that incorporates an already compliant GSM modules ACMA will probably accept that the telecommunications compliance for the GSM module would still be valid (AS/ACIF S042.1 and AS/ACIF S042.3) however additional safety testing to AS/NZS 60950.1may also be required.  

In order to demonstrate compliance to the applicable standards in the Labelling Notices, recognition of the compliance of an already “compliant” module can be used only if the supplier has assessed that the process of integration of the compliant module into the final product has not compromised the module’s original compliance, otherwise additional testing will be required. 

The method and results of the assessment along with any additional testing needs to be included in the compliance records of the final product.  It is recommended that any assessment is performed with the assistance of the module manufacturer or a test laboratory.

Once any assessment and all necessary testing is complete, the supplier will have the confidence to sign a DoC stating that the final product is compliant with all the relevant ACMA mandatory standards.

WiMax approval for imported devices is not possible in Australia at the moment as the ACMA have not established a class licencing system, therefore each item must have an individual licence depending on where it is operated.  For customer premises type devices, this is simply impractical.  Here’s a summary:
 
Current approved Australian WiMAX bands are:
 
·         2.3GHz MDS B Band (2.302GHz – 2.400GHz)
·         3.4GHz Lower Band (3.425GHz – 3.475GHz)
·         3.4GHz Upper Band A (3.475GHz – 3.4925GHz)
·         3.4GHz Upper Band B (3.5425GHz – 3.575GHz)
 
WiMAX devices operating in frequency bands other than the above are prohibited in Australia.
 
WiMAX operation in Australia is managed by respective Spectrum License Holders (i.e. license issued to an individual or a company for part of the spectrum in specific geographical areas that covers all devices in those geographical areas.  The licensee grants third parties permission to operate transmitters under their license).  Spectrum License Holders must ensure that devices, operating under their licenses, comply with the conditions of their licenses.  Therefore, any device operating in the licensed spectrum bands must have the permission of the Spectrum License Holders, and comply with the technical requirements imposed by the Spectrum Licence Holders in the geographical areas the devices will be used.  A list of current Spectrum License Holders can be viewed at this link – http://web.acma.gov.au/pls/radcom/spectrum_search.cat_listing.  Importers of WiMAX devices will have to approach the Spectrum License Holders directly to obtain the necessary compliance requirements set out by them.
 
Importers of WiMAX devices are reminded that in addition to the Spectrum License Holders’ requirements, the devices must also comply with relevant mandated Australian requirements, such as Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), Electrical Safety, Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS), Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR)-Human Exposure.

We will provide an update if/when the situation changes.