URCA Removes restrictions for Low-Power device approval | 360 Compliance

The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) is an independent regulatory authority in the area of the Electronic Communications Sector (ECS) and the Electricity Sector (ES) in the Bahamas.

In the middle of November, the URCA published final determination on the guidelines for the Type Approval Certificate of Licence‐Exempt Radio Spectrum Devices which relates to the type approval process for low-power devices.

Before a low-power device can be imported or used in the Bahamas it must be typed approval certificate from URCA. URCA is able to grant a type approval certificate for new categories of low power electronic communications devices in those cases:

Do not cause significant interference to networks
Meet the health and safety standards and do not cause harm to the user or other individuals
The electromagnetic emissions do not disrupt the operation of equipment operating nearby

One of the main changes relates to the documents that show the conformity of the device to the safety requirements. The previous type of approval process was based only on the test reports against the USA Federal Communications Commission’s CFR Part 15 standards requirements. The new changes allow the manufacturer to prove the compliance of the device to the essential safety requirements of the Bahamas by means of different international standards (not only American ones) if they satisfy standards and technical requirements of the National Spectrum Plan and other regulatory measures published by URCA.

The new changes also let the URCA allow other Telecommunications Certification Bodies (TCB) or Regulatory Authorities to verify the low-power devices that have applied for URCA’s Type Approval.

The Main topics are:

Not only the Federal Communications Commission’s CFR Part 15 standards requirements can be used to prove the compliance of the device to the essential requirements in the Bahamas

The reference to FCC is removed from the device to avoid potential confusion
If you want to import a low-power device to the market of the Bahamas, it must meet the following criteria:

Must operate in compliance with the National Spectrum Plan of the Bahamas
Must have been tested by any URCA-approved Telecommunication Certification Body
Must have a unique identification label indicating that the device is authorized by an URCA approved
Must only be capable of low-power radiation
Must only be capable of transmitting signals over short distances

360Compliance provides Testing & Certification for type approval services and global market access in 195 countries. With proven expertise in worldwide regulations, 360Compliance can help your company shorten time to any market, minimize risks and manage the regulatory process from A-Z.

Contact us at contact@dev.lm-studio.co.il/360

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