CFR

15.214—Cordless telephones.

(a) For equipment authorization, a single application form, FCC Form 731, may be filed for a cordless telephone system, provided the application clearly identifies and provides data for all parts of the system to show compliance with the applicable technical requirements. When a single application form is submitted, both the base station and the portable handset must carry the same FCC identifier. The application shall include a fee for certification of each type of transmitter and for certification, if appropriate, for each type of receiver included in the system.

(b) A cordless telephone that is intended to be connected to the public switched telephone network shall also comply with the applicable regulations in part 68 of this chapter. A separate procedure for approval under part 68 is required for such terminal equipment.

(c) The label required under subpart A of this part shall also contain the following statement: “Privacy of communications may not be ensured when using this phone.”

(d) Cordless telephones shall incorporate circuitry which makes use of a digital security code to provide protection against unintentional access to the public switched telephone network by the base unit and unintentional ringing by the handset. These functions shall operate such that each access of the telephone network or ringing of the handset is preceded by the transmission of a code word. Access to the telephone network shall occur only if the code transmitted by the handset matches code set in the base unit. Similarly, ringing of the handset shall occur only if the code transmitted by the base unit matches the code set in the handset. The security code required by this section may also be employed to perform other communications functions, such as providing telephone billing information. This security code system is to operate in accordance with the following provisions.

(1) There must be provision for at least 256 possible discrete digital codes. Factory-set codes must be continuously varied over at least 256 possible codes as each telephone is manufactured. The codes may be varied either randomly, sequentially, or using another systematic procedure.

(2) Manufacturers must use one of the following approaches for facilitating variation in the geographic distribution of individual security codes:

(i) Provide a means for the user to readily select from among at least 256 possible discrete digital codes. The cordless telephone shall be either in a non-operable mode after manufacture until the user selects a security code or the manufacturer must continuously vary the initial security code as each telephone is produced.

(ii) Provide a fixed code that is continuously varied among at least 256 discrete digital codes as each telephone is manufactured.

(iii) Provide a means for the cordless telephone to automatically select a different code from among at least 256 possible discrete digital codes each time it is activated.

(iv) It is permissible to provide combinations of fixed, automatic, and user-selectable coding provided the above criteria are met.

(3) A statement of the means and procedures used to achieve the required protection shall be provided in any application for equipment authorization of a cordless telephone.

[56 FR 3785, Jan. 31, 1991, as amended at 63 FR 36603, July 7, 1998; 66 FR 7580, Jan. 24, 2001]

Tips