By Laura Stefani, CommLawBlog, October 20, 2014
Some rules relaxed while measures added to prevent interference to wireless networks
Back in early 2013, the FCC took steps to help consumers deal with the dreaded cell phone phenomenon of dead spots by allowing the use of private signal boosters. (Readers should recall that boosters receive and re-transmit cell phone signals to improve coverage in their immediate vicinity.) And now, underscoring its interest in encouraging such devices, the Commission has tweaked its rules. But be forewarned, the tweaks are highly technical and unless you're deeply involved in the manufacturing side of the booster universe, you shouldn't expect to notice any dramatic changes.
To recap, there are two classes of approved boosters, Consumer and Industrial. Consumer boosters, in turn, come in two flavors, Wideband Consumer Boosters (designed to boost signals of more than one cell provider) and Provider-Specific Consumer Signal Boosters (designed to boost the signals of just a single cell provider). All Consumer Boosters are subject to "Network Protection Standards" (NPS), although those standards differ somewhat between the two different types of Consumer Boosters.
Neal McLain
10-22-14 2315 CDT