![3D"RA](3D"http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/graphics/ralogo.gif"=20) |
Informative =
Notice |
1. Introduction
| These = Regulations=20 establish limits for the radiation of electromagnetic emissions = from parts=20 of apparatus employed in certain telecommunication systems. = Emissions=20 above the limits would be such as to render any interference = caused to=20 radio (otherwise known as wireless telegraphy) use be considered = as undue=20 within the meaning of section 19 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act = 1949 ("the=20 1949 Act"). The Regulations are made under section 10(1)(a) of the = 1949=20 Act. | |
| The = Regulations=20 will apply to emissions from material substances of a metallic = nature, in=20 this case cabling or wiring, forming part of specified types of=20 telecommunication system, often called broadband systems, that are = intended to carry Internet or other data at relatively high speed. = The=20 systems covered are known as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Power = Line=20 Technology (PLT) and Home Local Area Networks (Home LANs) = (together "the=20 relevant systems"). These are generic names for types of = technology rather=20 than proprietary product brands. The common characteristic = features of all=20 the relevant systems is that the data is carried by means of=20 electromagnetic energy at what are known as radio frequencies = along=20 conductors, and that the conductors have generally not originally = been=20 installed or intended to carry such signals. | |
| The = limits above=20 which interference is considered to be undue under the Regulations = are set=20 out in Department of Trade and Industry, Radiocommunications = Agency=20 standard MPT 1570 dated August 2001 (copy = attached). | |
| The = Regulations=20 only apply to the use in service of the relevant systems and they = are only=20 employed in the circumstances set out in section 11 of the 1949 = Act. That=20 is, generally when undue interference is actually caused to = wireless=20 telegraphy, but also, where undue interference is likely to be = caused to a=20 safety of life service. In the general case, there is a proviso in = the=20 1949 Act that the Secretary of State may only take action against = the user=20 of the apparatus where he considers that all reasonable steps have = been=20 taken by the person suffering the interference to minimise it. The = Regulations provide that they only apply to radiation from the = material=20 substances forming part of the relevant systems that are first put = into=20 service on or after the date that the Regulations come into force. = The=20 regulations do not therefore have retrospective = effect. | |
| The = Regulations=20 do not affect the need for compliance by apparatus comprised in = the=20 relevant systems with the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive, = 89/336/EEC ("the EMC Directive") as implemented in the UK by SI = 1992/2372=20 ("the EMC Regulations") or with the Radio Equipment and = Telecommunications=20 Terminal Equipment Directive, 1999/5/EC ("the RTTE Directive"), as = implemented in the UK by SI 2000/730 ("the RTTE Regulations"), as=20 appropriate. The EMC and RTTE Directives apply to new apparatus = and=20 systems within their scope at the time of placing on the market or = putting=20 into service. The present Regulations apply to interference = emanating from=20 the cabling or wiring carrying the signals within relevant systems = when=20 they are in use. Modems and other apparatus connected to the lines = would=20 have been subject to the EMC or RTTE Regulations provisions in = respect of=20 their being placed on the market or bringing into service and are=20 therefore not affected in themselves by the interference limits. = Cabling=20 and wiring comprised in the relevant systems will either pre-date = or for=20 other reasons fall outside the EMC and RTTE Directives and their=20 implementing UK Regulations. | |
| Where a = case of=20 undue interference arises under the present Regulations, it would = be for=20 the person responsible for the relevant system to take such = remedial=20 measures as are necessary so that emissions from the cabling or = wiring=20 meet the limits. |
2. = Background
| The need for faster = access=20 to the Internet and other data services has generated a = requirement for=20 new methods of delivery to the end-user and of distribution around = the end=20 user=92s premises. One approach is to utilise existing = infrastructure, such=20 as electricity cables or telephone wires, to carry the data. = Although=20 telephone wires, in particular, have been used to provide Internet = access=20 for some time the signals have been restricted to the voice band = frequency=20 range so that they can use the public switched telephone network = (PSTN).=20 This type of access is generally referred to as dial-up narrow = band as the=20 maximum data rate is limited to a few tens of kilobits per=20 second. | |
| However to achieve = higher=20 data rates, greater bandwidth is needed and this requires higher=20 frequencies of transmission. PLT, DSL and Home LAN systems all = employ=20 radio frequencies, with various modulation schemes, to transmit = the data=20 along the cables or wires. While this is an efficient means of = carrying=20 data it has risks. Most well designed radio frequency (RF) systems = use=20 cables that are suitably balanced or shielded so as to contain the = signal=20 within the cable as far as is possible and therefore control the = level of=20 unwanted RF radiation. The kind of infrastructure used by PLT, DSL = and=20 Home LAN systems is not intended primarily for carrying RF signals = and it=20 is not generally shielded or balanced for radio frequency = purposes, or it=20 otherwise may become unbalanced under particular conditions. The = resulting=20 unwanted RF radiation may therefore be sufficiently high as to = cause undue=20 interference to radio users. | |
| The Government has = therefore=20 responded to requests from radio users by consulting on a standard = that=20 could be implemented under section 10 of the 1949 Act where = interference=20 caused by emissions above a certain level would be considered = undue.=20 Discussions and a formal consultation have been held, open to all=20 interested parties, including the telecommunications operators and = manufacturers and radio spectrum users. The formal consultation = was=20 carried out in the Summer of 2000. | |
| Setting the limit = was a=20 difficult balance to strike as the new technologies for carrying = data are=20 important for the reasons described in paragraph 2.1 above, yet = undue=20 interference must be controlled. The Minister for e-Commerce = announced on=20 November 9th 2000 the limits that the Government had = decided=20 upon. Those limits are the ones now contained in Parts 5 and 6 of = MPT1570=20 dated 3rd August 2001. They apply to emissions at = frequencies=20 from 9 KHz to 1.6 MHz. These frequencies are used mainly for long = and=20 medium wave broadcasting, for defence, civil aviation, standard = time and=20 frequency services, and by radio amateurs. | |
| The present draft =
Statutory=20
Instrument is entitled "The Wireless Telegraphy (Control of =
Interference=20
from Material Substances forming part of Telecommunication Systems =
)=20
Regulations." The phrase "Material Substances forming part of=20
Telecommunication Systems" has its origins in the 1949 Act . =
Section 19(1)=20
thereof defines wireless telegraphy as: "=85=85the emitting = or receiving,=20 over paths which are not provided by any material substance = constructed or=20 arranged for that purpose, of electromagnetic energy of a = frequency not=20 exceeding three million megacycles a = second=85=85". | |
| It has been = suggested that=20 there is a conflict between these Regulations and the EMC and RTTE = Regulations. Terminals would be subject to compliance with the EMC = or RTTE=20 Regulations at the time of placing on the market or taking into = service.=20 However, cabling and wiring are specifically excluded from the = scope of=20 the RTTE Directive. For EMC Regulations purposes cabling and = wiring are=20 benign in themselves and are therefore considered outside the = scope of the=20 EMC Directive. In any case, for many of the systems concerned, the = cabling=20 and wiring will most likely pre-date the Directives. The UK = Regulations=20 implementing the EMC Directive expressly permit the continuing = application=20 of Section 10 regulations to apparatus when used in service and = the making=20 of new ones where these are necessary for the purposes of radio = frequency=20 spectrum management. | |
| The limits, and the=20 procedure allowed for under the 1949 Act to enforce them, can only = be=20 invoked in the circumstances permitted under the Act. The limits = are=20 therefore not a product compliance standard. Section 10(4) of the = 1949 Act=20 provides that use of apparatus which does not comply with the = Regulations=20 is not unlawful. However, non-compliance can be grounds for = serving a=20 Notice under section 11 of the Act. Section 11(1) of the 1949 Act = provides=20 for a Notice to be served on the "person in whose possession the = apparatus=20 is" under certain interference circumstances and when the = requirements of=20 section 10 Regulations are not complied with. That Notice can = provide for=20 close down of the apparatus in 28 days hence (or immediately in = the case=20 of safety of life being threatened). As a matter of policy, limits = are=20 only applied in the investigation of actual interference cases = that are=20 reported. In effect the 28 day close down period, or the immediate = close=20 down in safety of life cases, can allow for remedial measures to = be taken.=20 The person upon whom the Notice can be served will be different = according=20 to the type of relevant system at fault. Faults may be found to be = due to=20 the cabling or wiring itself, or they may be due to faulty = apparatus=20 connected to the line. It would be for the person responsible to = correct=20 the fault, wherever it was, so that radiation from the line was = reduced to=20 levels below the limits in the Regulations. | |
| Where a 28 day = Notice is=20 served, the person on whom it is served has the right to appeal to = a=20 Tribunal established under the 1949 Act. In such case the effect = of the=20 Notice is stayed until the Tribunal has determined the matter. = However,=20 contravention of a Notice in force is a criminal offence.=20 |
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| August = 2001=20 | ![3D"Home](3D"http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/graphics/home.gif") |
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