The most damaging effect of the FCC shutdown...
The most damaging effect of the FCC shutdown could be on equipment authorizations, Hogan Lovells said Wednesday in a note to clients. Hogan said the shutdown affects the FCC and the third-party labs that do most certifications. “In the United…
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States, virtually all electronic devices must receive FCC equipment certification prior to sale,” the note said. “Every cell phone. Every television. Every computer. Each device emits a unique radio frequency signature, and the FCC reviews this signature to limit the potential for harmful interference to other devices. All told, the FCC and its third-party contractors process an estimated 16,000 equipment certification applications annually. But with further processing impossible during the shutdown, electronic devices not already approved by the FCC cannot lawfully be sold in the United States.” The longer the shutdown continues, “the greater the risk that new devices will sit in warehouses and shipping containers unassembled or pending final design approval,” Hogan said. “Even upon the resumption of operations, moreover, the backlog of equipment certifications has the potential to delay important consumer product launches from manufacturers such as Google, Apple, Samsung, HTC, and LG, as well as from smaller manufacturers who seek to deploy innovative equipment for medical, industrial, and scientific use.” (CD Oct 9 p2)