TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. has been operating as a TCB since June of 2000 for processing FCC Approvals for Telecommunications Terminal Equipment under Part 68. As of April 24, 2001 our TCB scope has expanded to include RF (wireless) device approvals under FCC Parts 15, 90, 95, 97 and others where TCB approvals are allowed by the FCC.
Click here for a summary matrix of U.S. FCC and Industry Canada EMC Emissions requirements with reference links to rules and regulations.
What is a TCB?
A TCB (Telecommunications Certification Body) is a non-governmental body accredited by ANSI to review applications and issue FCC Certification grants of approval for devices requiring approvals.
Which products require Certification under the FCC rules?
All intentional radiators (transmitter) require Certification, regardless of their power or whether a license is required to use them.
Scanning receivers and radar detectors are the only unintentional radiators requiring certification, however certain devices eligible to use the Declaration of Conformity procedure may optionally use the Certification procedure. An example is a Class B personal computer.
What equipment can a TCB approve?
A TCB can approve most equipment that requires FCC certification. Examples of equipment that TCB's may not currently approve are devices that require routine SAR/MPE measurement, and certain devices for which evaluation procedures have not been published. An example of a device which would require SAR/MPE measurements is a 5 Watt handheld two way radio. A device for which measurement procedures have not been published is a UNII (Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure) transmitter under FCC Part 15 Subpart E.
Can approvals still be submitted directly to FCC?
Yes, except for certain categories including personal computers and peripherals, which can use the Declaration of Conformity Procedure or be submitted to a TCB for approval.
How long does a TCB approval take?
Most TCB approvals can be made in 1 week or less, once all required testing and documentation is complete.
Click here for more information on EMC testing.